Chablis Enlightenment

I love Chablis wines in general.  But, in recent years, more are showing excessive ripeness and tropical fruit flavors - not what I'm particularly after in this wine from the northern part of Bourgogne.  At its best, it's a high acid, mineral infused chardonnay with lemon or apple tones and showing hints of oyster shell, chalk, and iodine.  The (ridiculously oversimplified) "rule of thumb" is to drink petit Chablis and village level Chablis in the first 2-4 years after release, premier cru from 4-8 years, Grand Crus from 7-10 or so years.  Tonight, we drank a wine that was released by the winery in the last year - a Premier Cru from the vintage of 2005.  Most of my friends in the wine world would have guessed it was approaching oxidative state - indeed, a 2009 premier cru at a recent Chablis tasting was showing that character already.  

Well, that assumption for this wine would be a sad, sad mistake.  A 2005 wine from Daniel-Etienne Defaix, produced from a small premier cru vineyard known as Les Lys. The wine was the most concentrated, yet fresh and engaging, Chablis I have ever drunk.  This is a stunning wine in every way. A bright golden hue emanates from the glass. The nose is chalky, with iodine, apple hints, and an incredible intensity. The palate has a good balance of acid and mineral extract and depth and a finish that never ends. Apple for sure, and ample chalk and barest hints of iodine again - almost like intense oyster brine with apples. This wine is still young.  Oh my.  I had 2 in the cellar, and after this, I've just put in for four more.  Probably should get a case. It's that good. It's very old school, seems to have no real oak (at least not new oak), an intense minerality, no insipid sweet tropical notes, and almost certainly did not go fully malolactic if at all.  I am in awe.

I also should mention its food pairing - a Guinea Hen braised, then roasted, with root vegetables. That was a spectacularly successful dish. Salt and pepper and thyme on the surface of the bird. Shallot and garlic in the cavity. Large pieces of carrot, turnip, celery, potato, and shallot in the pot, along with some white wine, some verjus, and some very concentrated chicken stock. The flavor ended up somewhere between a very rich, great free range chicken and the slightly gamier notes of pheasant. This was not a wimpy poultry dish, and, in spite of Chablis traditionally pairing with lighter seafood, the wine held up gorgeously to the food - the acidity cut through the rich broth, while the minerality complemented the earthy meat and vegetables. Every so often a meal just comes together so very well - this was one of those times.