Diam. Not all Petit Chablis is created equal! Moreau’s Petit Chablis comes from a single 2.5-hectare site between Courgis and Beine, just outside Chablis on the route to Auxerre. It has a southwest orientation and lies on Kimmeridgian soils (as opposed to the higher Portlandian soils on which most Petit is grown). Half the plot is home to 25- to 30-year-old vines, while the other half is somewhat older at 45 to 50. The wine ferments spontaneously in large vats of 32 to 100 hectolitres. This really has some gravitas and charisma for Petit Chablis: it’s wonderful to taste what mature vines and quality, organic-focused farming can create at this level.

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 well situated on the slopes above Milly and Vaillons, a cool site that comes into its own in 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 lovely vintage for this wine: nicely supple yet mouthwateringly bright with pulpy apple blossom, pear fruit and dashes of lime on the vibrantly sappy finish.

Diam. Moreau’s village Chablis is drawn chiefly from 20- to 30-year-old vineyards in Préhy and Courgis, both south of Chablis. Then, there are parcels in Chablis and Chichée (under the Premier Cru vines of Vaugiraut/Vosgros). All up, the domaine works with 30 parcels scattered across the appellation, representing a variety of soil structures and exposures. All the fruit from the younger vines is sold off in bulk, lifting the general standard.

The fruit is pressed gently over four hours and ferments with natural yeasts (still a rarity in Chablis). It is raised mainly in the tank, and the maturation is unhurried. The wine then spends 20 months on lees, considerably longer than most Chablis of this level. These traditional methods—along with hand-harvesting, the quality of the terroir, the low yields and the ripeness—help explain the mouthcoating texture, salty depths and overall quality.

Diam. Moreau’s village Chablis comes chiefly from 20- to 30-year-old vineyards in Préhy and Courgis, both south of Chablis. Then, there are parcels in Chablis and Chichée (under the Premier Cru vines of Vaugiraut/Vosgros). All up, the Domaine works with 30 parcels scattered across the appellation, representing a variety of soil structures and exposures. All the fruit from the younger vines is sold off in bulk, lifting the general standard.

The fruit was pressed gently over four hours and fermented with natural yeasts (still a rarity in Chablis). It was raised mainly in the tank, and the maturation was unhurried. The wine then spent 20 months on lees, considerably longer than most Chablis of this level. These traditional methods—along with hand-harvesting, the quality of the terroir, the low yields and the ripeness—help explain the mouthcoating texture, salty depths and overall quality.

Screwcap. Defaix’s impressive 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 estate’s Petit Chablis, the older vines translate to more character, depth and classical restraint. As always, this is a very fine Chablis. The nose shows beautiful candied lemon, cool white peach and floral notes. Then, it’s terrifically vibrant in the mouth, with juicy fruit, ripe acidity and a generous lick of oyster shell to close. Lovely wine! A terrific, seductive Chablis and another outstanding-value wine from Domaine Bernard Defaix.

On the left bank of the Serein and on the mid-slope, Vaillons is a particularly well-positioned Premier Cru that enjoys an excellent reputation thanks to the work of several key growers. The Domaine works with vines planted in 1974 in the lieux-dits of Les Epinottes (a cooler part of the vineyard) and Roncières (which provides more flesh). Then, a parcel of 75-year-old vines in Sécher usually accounts for 30% of the blend and provides intense mineral cut and structure. The wine fermented and aged in both tank and older barrels, including some 600-litre barrels. Each parcel was vinified separately before blending. 

On the left bank of the Serein and on the mid-slope, Vaillons is a particularly well-positioned Premier Cru that enjoys an excellent reputation thanks to the work of several key growers. The Domaine works with vines planted in 1974 in the lieux-dits of Les Epinottes (a cooler part of the vineyard) and Roncières (which provides more flesh). Then, a parcel of 75-year-old vines in Sécher usually accounts for 30% of the blend and provides intense mineral cut and structure. The wine fermented and aged in both tank and older barrels, including some 600-litre barrels. Each parcel was vinified separately before blending. 

Stéphane Moreau used to call Forêts “one of the greatest terroirs of Chablis.” It’s a historical sub-plot within the Premier Cru Montmains, high up the slope and facing southeast. It can undoubtedly produce Chablis of the highest order, as both Dauvissat and Moreau have shown many times (Raveneau also has a small parcel). Moreau farms two plots of vines here, totalling just under two hectares. The first plot hugs Vincent Dauvissat’s parcel, and shares a vine age of 60 years. The second (with 25-year-old vines) sits next to the Raveneau plot. As with all the Premier Cru wines (apart from Montmains), the wine fermented and aged in both steel tank and used barrels (30%) of various sizes. The maturation period now extends to two years. 

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 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 as “entirely white fruited in style …not dissimilar to Beauroy, but with more intensity”, while Andrew Jefford suggests the hill gives “some of the most 'mineral' Chablis of all”. In 2023, you get the best of both worlds, alongside chiselled, chalky texture and an extra spoonful 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.

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 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 as “entirely white fruited in style …not dissimilar to Beauroy, but with more intensity”, while Andrew Jefford suggests the hill gives “some of the most 'mineral' Chablis of all”. In 2023, you get the best of both worlds, alongside chiselled, chalky texture and an extra spoonful 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.

Diam. Unlike Côte de Léchet, Defaix’s Monty is made from purchased fruit. Didier Defaix tells us he has worked with the same grower for 20 years. Although the vineyards are not organically certified, the family “works like us” (that is to say, he’s very happy with the quality). The Montée de Tonnerre is drawn from old vines in Chapelot, which forms 20 hectares of the vineyard on a similar southeast-facing aspect to the neighbouring Grands Crus. The vineyard’s iconic grower is, of course, Raveneau, although Moreau-Naudet, Billaud-Simon and others farm vines in this prestigious lieu-dit. This cuvée ferments with native yeasts entirely in used barrels (one to five years old) with regular bâtonnage. The wine is bottled after 12 months in barrel and a further six months in stainless steel. It’s a great release, full of mouthcoating, zingy fruit and stony energy.

Diam. Located in the northwest corner of the Grand Cru slope below Preuses, Bougros has a notable south-easterly exposure and the steepest gradient of all the Chablis Grand Cru vineyards. We like Jasper Morris’s evocative description of the Bougros style, which he says is "like being smothered in a great big woolly jumper—big, fat, soft and round”. This speaks to the texture of the wines from here. Morris goes on to describe the top of the vineyard—the sector from which this wine hails—as displaying the classical minerality of Chablis. The wine ferments and ages in oak barrels with regular bâtonnage and is bottled after 18 months.