Screwcap. Unusually for a Petit Chablis, which generally comes from the lower-lying sites on Portlandian limestone, the lion’s share of this cuvée is drawn from a parcel of Kimmeridgian-based soil. Yet it’s not necessarily the type of limestone but more the location that makes the difference. The small Defaix parcel is very well situated on the slopes above Milly and Vaillons, a cool site that comes into its own on warmer vintages. In recent years, two small parcels in Poinchy and Beines have been added to the roster to flesh out some volume. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and raised in glass-lined tank, it’s a terrific vintage for this wine: nicely ripe yet mouth-wateringly bright with textured orchard fruits and a hint of quinine on the snappy finish.

Screwcap. Defaix’s village Chablis is drawn from four parcels of mature, 30-plus-year-old vines situated around Milly and Poinchy on the left bank of the Serein River. The wine ferments spontaneously and ages on fine lees for 10 months in glass-lined tanks. Compared to the wine above, the older vines translate to more character, depth and classical restraint—not to mention supersized minerality and ozone salinity. It’s a ripe, poised and vibrantly fresh Chablis with juicy nectarine, mixed citrus fruit and stony, pithy freshness running the length of the palate. A terrific, super seductive Chablis and another outstanding-value wine from Domaine Bernard Defaix. We encourage you to take Jasper’s advice! 

Diam. Much like the rest of Burgundy, Chablis’ finest vineyards have, for better or worse, become synonymous with a symbolic grower. This is the case with the Côte de Léchet and Domaine Bernard Defaix. With nine hectares of vines overlooking the village of Milly, the domaine is the largest single holder within this 1er Cru, and its cellars sit at the base of the Léchet hill. Didier Defaix is, therefore, the vineyard’s emblematic vigneron—as well as the site’s only certified-organic grower.

Perfectly exposed to the southeast, Jasper Morris MW describes an archetypal wine from Léchet, pictured above, as “Entirely white fruited in style …not dissimilar to Beauroy, but with more intensity”, while Andrew Jefford suggested the hill gifts “some of the most 'mineral' Chablis of all”. In 2022, you get the best of all these, even if there is an extra dollop of fruit sweetness compared to a classical vintage. Taking advantage of the vineyard’s intensity and to build complexity, Didier Defaix ferments a quarter of this wine in old, neutral barrels which previously housed Defaix’s old-vine Reserve Léchet bottling. It’s a fleshy and seamless Côte de Léchet with oodles of mixed citrus, briny drive and impressive tension between waves of fruit and the vibrant, chalky freshness that this site always delivers in spades. Doggone delicious and a bargain in the scheme of things. 

Sauvignon Gris. This Bibendum favourite is made from Fié Gris (aka Sauvignon Gris). Fié Gris used to be a much more commonly planted variety around Auxerre. Its fickle, low-yielding nature—on average, it yields 35 to 40% less than Sauvignon Blanc—sealed its fate, and it is now found in very few vineyards. Luckily for us, the Goisots have persevered, and their old vines of Fié Gris today flourish in the rich, red and brown clay and limestone soils of the Côte de la Canne, Cornevin and Moury vineyards. Unlike the Sauvignon Blanc wines, this bottling was partly fermented and raised in old 500-litre barrels. It’s always one of Burgundy’s leftfield gems.

Single vineyard Chardonnay. Gueules de Loup is arguably the most picturesque vineyard of the Côtes d’Auxerre and is named after the beautiful flowers (snapdragons) that flourish in its soils. This one-hectare site faces south/southeast, and the soils are almost pure limestone, Portlandian downwash, which lends this cuvée its excellent mineral backbone (although it also lacks nothing for opulence). The vines are over 40 years old. The Goisots believe this is a terroir quite similar to the 1er Cru Vaillons in Chablis, but there is more ‘white Burgundy’ personality here than we have ever seen from Vaillons. Maturation is all in barrels, on lees.

Biodynamic. Single vineyard Chardonnay. Like any part of Burgundy, the Côtes d’Auxerre is a mosaic of small climats and vineyards. Goisot farms a mind-boggling 40+ individual parcels, with only the finest Chardonnay sites bottled individually. This cuvée is drawn from an old vine, single-hectare parcel in Les Biaumonts (pronounced like Beaumonts) at 250 metres above sea level. The vines here are between 40 and 50 years old, and the soils share a Kimmeridgian profile similar to Gueules de Loup. Biaumont has a sunnier, south/southwest aspect, and there is also more brown clay in the very rocky soil strewn with significant ammonite fossils (something that Goisot notes is unusual for this altitude).