2017 Chablis Les Forets
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The 2017 Chablis La Forest 1er Cru is a standout and one of the wines that brings together so many of the best elements of the Dauvissat house style. A Chablis of marvelous contrasts, the Forest is at once light on its feet and also packed with notable intensity. At the same time, the Forest is mysterious and not ready to show all of its cards yet. There is so much to look forward to. The Forest emerges from eight parcels spread across 3.7 hectares, Dauvissat's largest holding. I imagine the diversity of these micro-parcels goes a long way in giving the wine dimension and complexity.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
A brilliant rendition of Vincent Dauvissat's emblematic premier cru, the 2017 Chablis 1er Cru La Forest reveals a complex bouquet of oyster shell, crisp green apple and lemon oil mingled with notes of dried white flowers and freshly baked bread. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and complete, with a deep and concentrated core, striking energy and cut and a long, mineral finish. Amounting to some 4.5 hectares, La Forest accounts for a third of the domaine's surface area, so it will be the easiest Dauvissat wine for readers to find. Happily, it ranks alongside the 2014 and 2008 as one of the very best of recent years.
The 2017 Chablis La Forest 1er Cru was the most reduced of Vincent Dauvissat’s wines from barrel and difficult to read. The palate is more representative: superb tension thanks to a razor-like bead of acidity, very saline in the mouth so you perceive an almost jolting dryness on the finish but paradoxically and enormously long spicy aftertaste. What a cerebral proposition this is.
Has a very strong, flinty yellow grapefruit and lime-leaf edge with a waxy, steely mineral core, making it a really exciting nose. There’s additional depth here, from white peppery minerals to chalk. Super fine and tight. This has a scintillatingly pure, fresh and powerful with a richer texture powered by very strong acidity. Exceptional.