Winery: Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix

Country / Region: France / Burgundy - Chablis Les Lys

Date Winery was established: 1978

Grape Variety: Chardonnay

Year the vintage was first released: 1987

Alcohol Content / Volume: 13% / 750ml

Ratings: (2005) 93 pts. The Wine Advocate

Decanting Time: No need for decanting. Serve at 8-12°C.

Our suggestion for decanting time is based on bottles we tried at Txanton in 2020. We guarantee that Txanton stocks are imported and maintained in proper storage within the correct temperature and humidity suitable for wine.

Good to Know: “Two generations ago everyone made Chablis like this. Now I am the only one left,” - Daniel-Etienne Defaix. Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix has been making Chablis in the ultra traditional style since its establishment in 1978. What is also interesting to note is that the Defaix family has been making their wines in this style for more than 4 centuries in one of the most prestigious and ancient sites in what is now known as the Chablis region of Burgundy. Daniel Etienne himself is the 15th generation of the Defaix family that continues the tradition of creating age worthy Chablis.

The 2006 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru "Les Lys" focuses on the complexity that traditional Chablis can bring to the table. The combination of Chardonnay grapes harvested from top tier, kimmerdigian soils, bountiful malolactic fermentation and stirring in fine lees for 18 months, gives you a Chablis that is not only capable of aging at least for 15 years, but also one that provides you with the complexity rarely found in modern/contemporary styles of Chablis wines today. Toasty, freshly baked butter pastry notes meld seamlessly with citrus notes of lemon peel and white blossom. The focus on lees during the winemaking process creates a somewhat "heavier," more distinctly unique expression of Chardonnay.

Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix was established in 1978. The Defaix family however has been making wines in the Chablis region since the 17th century. The winery is situated along 28 hectares on one of the most premier and ancient sites of kimmeridgian (limestone based, and rich in ancient oyster fossils) soil in Burgundy.