Jean Dauvissat Chablis Premier Cru Séchets 2023

Domaine Jean et Sébastien Dauvissat is a historic family run estate based in Chablis, known for producing deeply traditional, long-aged wines. The Dauvissat family has held vines in Chablis since 1899. The cellar itself sits directly beneath the 17th-century family home on the road leading toward the hamlet of Chichée.

Today, the estate is managed by Sébastien Dauvissat, who took over operations following the untimely death of his father, Jean, carrying on generations of family vigneron traditions alongside his mother. The estate encompasses roughly 10 to 11 hectares of prime hillside plots, predominantly planted on Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils. Their Premier Crus feature full southeast exposures, optimizing light while maintaining cool temperatures to preserve acidity. Vine ages across their holdings generally range from 20 to 40+ years. Harvesting is kept to strictly controlled yields typically 45–50 hectoliters per hectare for Premier Crus concentrating the fruit's natural acidity and mineral density.

Unlike many commercial producers who rush Chablis to market, Sébastien Dauvissat practices extended élevage (aging), releasing wines significantly later than average.

Primary fermentation is temperature controlled and carried out largely in stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts to safeguard the crisp, floral purity of the Séchets fruit.

The Séchets parcel is vinified mostly in stainless steel to maintain its classic mineral character. Depending on the vintage yield, a small portion of the cuvée may spend time in neutral or neutral-dominant neutral oak barrels to gently soften the palate without imparting heavy oak flavors.

The cornerstone of the Dauvissat style is 18 to 20 months of aging on fine lees prior to bottling. This extended time on the lees builds a rich, plush mid-palate texture that balances the piercing Kimmeridgian acidity. Wines are clarified naturally over time in the cool underground cellar, minimizing fining and filtration to keep the wine's raw structural integrity intact.