2008 Chablis Vaillons

Kiwi, white currant, grapefruit, ocean breeze and kelp in the nose of Vincent Dauvissat’s 2008 Chablis Vaillons lead into a brightly citric, saline, palpably dense palate with tart and bitter impingement of citrus rind and pips, berry seeds, and juniper. Mysteriously marine though almost severe in its concentration and piquancy, this will need at least a couple of years in bottle to properly prove itself and show a more generous side. It’s certainly formidable already now, and I would not be surprised to see it reveal close to a decade’s stamina. Vincent Dauvissat points out that at least at his estate, 1996 was at once more severe yet more alcoholic and more exotic in aroma than what he terms the “more classic” vintage of 2008. Both years featured long cool growing seasons and wind-driven concentration in the late innings, but the fruit in 2008 was cleaner, and entirely botrytis-free, Dauvissat maintains. He says his 2008s come closer in character to 2002. (Incidentally, at age six months, Dauvissat’s 2009s showed promising vivacity and mineral inflection for their vintage.) Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802 (Under the “Dauvissat-Camus” label, certain of these wines are also imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel. (781) 352 1100.)