Chablis La Forest 2017 Domaine Vincent Dauvissat

La Forest is the name given by Domaine Vincent Dauvissat to its parcel in the Forêt Premier Cru. The 2017 vintage is a white Chablis Premier Cru produced from that plot, a Chardonnay grown on limestone soil. Yields were low, and the harvest took place early. In April 2017, Chablis experienced spring frosts for the second consecutive year, causing yields in the region to drop by up to 30%; the northern areas and the Premier Cru and Grand Cru slopes on the right bank were particularly hard hit.

After that, the weather was warm and sunny, and growth was so rapid that the first growers in the Chablis region began harvesting on 2 September, one of the earliest harvest dates on record.

These conditions are clearly reflected in the wine. The 2017 vintage offers a rounder and more approachable flavor profile than the leaner vintages of Chablis La Forest, blending flavors of ripe citrus and orchard fruits with the salty, chalky, and tangy notes typical of the Forêt slopes. Furthermore, because the fruit yield was very low from the start, the wine has real concentration.

This wine reveals its true character with extended aging. Dauvissat's Chablis maintains a robust structure for many years; since this wine tends to become firm before it opens up, it is advisable to decant it for a sufficiently long time if you uncork it early.

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