2013 Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys

Focused and refined, this Chablis offers aromas of green apple, lemon zest, and flinty minerality, with subtle hints of white flowers and wet stone. The palate is precise and layered, with bright acidity, taut structure, and a mineral-driven mid-palate. Silky texture and gentle weight carry through a long, clean finish that highlights both freshness and maturity.

Hand-harvested grapes are fermented with native yeasts and aged in primarily neutral French oak, with partial lees contact to add subtle texture. Minimal intervention preserves clarity and emphasizes the vineyard’s expression.

Daniel-Etienne Defaix farms in Chablis’ 1er Cru Les Lys, a site known for its limestone-rich soils and cool climate, which produce Chardonnay of precision and tension. This bottling reflects the domaine’s meticulous approach to winemaking, balancing structure, freshness, and understated complexity.