DANIEL-ÉTIENNE DEFAIX 

CHAMPION OF CHABLIS

 

The family owned and operated Defaix estate is one deeply rooted in the winemaking tradition. Finding itself on 28 hectares of land, the estate is not only home to a great number of old-vine plants, but also boasts 3 Premier (Les Lys, Vaillon and Côte de Léchet) and 2 Grand Crus (Blanchot and Grenouilles). First cultivated by Cistercian monks over 1000 years ago, this producer's origins run parallel to the history of Chablis itself. For the last 4 centuries, the domaine has belonged to the Defaix family, being passed down from father to son in a tradition which persists to this day. Currently headed by Daniél-Étienne, this house is among the greatest estates in what is one of the most storied viticultural regions on the globe.  

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Despite 400 years of family tradition already behind him, Daniel-Étienne still manages to be something of a trailblazer in his home region.

 

While virtually all of the better-known producers in the area age their wines in oak, the Defaix estate uses absolutely no wood in the production of their Chablis. Instead, they are left on the lees for far longer than the grand majority of the region's whites, and are then subsequently aged for an extraordinarily extended period of time. In the case of his Premier and Grand Crus, it can be well over a decade before they are even released! In consequence, these products are not only a pure and unadulterated expression of the terroir, but are also incredibly mature and well-developed wines worthy of acclaim.

 

Explore the estate to your heart's content below.

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