Domaine Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis 2023

We’d argue that Chablis is the greatest spot in the world to grow Chardonnay – and this one hails from a tiny parcel of 34-year-old vines in the village of Fyé, surrounded on three sides by Grand Cru plots. It doesn’t get more supreme than that! Alas, our price still scratches the attainable category at under $30, even with all the grandeur surrounding this wine. Get some while you still can!

Didier Dauvissat is the cousin of one of perhaps the finest Chablis producers there is – Vincent Dauvissat – and while general talent doesn’t always run in a family’s blood… it certainly appears to here. If this 93-point Chablis is any evidence, it sure makes a strong case! As a rising star of the region, Agnes et Didier Dauvissat has already turned heads and captured the hearts of Chablis lovers worldwide, and how could they not with a price and pristine bottle like this?!

The Domaine is currently run by the second generation, Florent Dauvissat, who was able to pull his familial strings and train under Vincent Dauvissat (his father Didier’s cousin). Agnès and Didier Dauvissat’s 13-hectare property is based in the village of Beine, just about 10 minutes west of Chablis. They are without question the least famous among the myriad Dauvissat producers, but we love their precision and classic approach to Chablis. By Burgundy standards, this now 35-year-old Domaine is still in its infancy, but this latest release will compete with dozens of other top Chablis producers – at a fraction of the price!

The tiny plot where these grapes hail from is surrounded by the Grand Crus of Blanchot, Valmus, and Les Clos. Pretty good company to keep, if you ask us, placing this sloping hillside parcel at the gates of what is essentially Chardonnay heaven. Soils packed with ancient oyster shells and chipped sedimentary limestone from Jurassic era seafloors all contribute to the wonderfully crisp and quenching results. It’s perfectly balanced with golden apples, chipped flint, lemon zest, pink grapefruit, and briny oysters, all awash with an oily, captivating texture that clings to the palate. A transcendent, purely blissful wine reminiscent of days at the beach and long afternoons in the sun. If that speaks to you, don’t be shy and load your cart up for summer!

FOOD PAIRINGS: It’s grilling season – finally! – and a simple meal of grilled shrimp with charred zucchini, red onion, and mushrooms over a lemony, herb-packed orzo would be a true treat with this zippy Chablis.