2009 Chablis Vaillons

The aromatics seem to literally jump out of the glass in Dauvissat’s 2009 Chablis Vaillons. This is a wonderfully expressive, young Chablis endowed with considerable personality and class. Initially a touch compact, the Vaillons opens up beautifully to reveal an expressive mid-palate and finish. The warm vintage gives this typically steely, taut wine a measure of richness and generosity that make it unusually approachable in its infancy. ||Vincent Dauvissat’s 2010 harvest started on September 21st, a few days earlier than his average over the last ten years, which has been closer to September 25th. The vintage is marked by very low yields. Couleur and millerandage were most pronounced in the grand crus, where yields were 40% lower than normal. At the same time, the wines have retained plenty of acidity, making for very interesting personalities across the range. The 2010s were aged in oak (roughly 10% new), on their fine lees, and racked once after the malos, which were finished by the end of January. The Forest, Preuses and Clos saw some new oak during the alcoholic fermentation. Dauvissat planned to begin bottling the 2010s in October or November, 2011. In 2009, Dauvissat harvested a week earlier, starting on September 14. Vintage 2009 was marked by a hot August that resulted in ripe wines with acidities that are lower than normal. Within the context of Chablis, where acidity is rarely lacking, a warm yet well-balanced season can be a good thing in that the wines are easier to drink when young, which certainly appears to be the case here. eRobertParker.com.August, 2011