Les Lys Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay

“Les Lys” is one of the eight climats within Vaillons but it’s peculiar in terms of its exposure and the soil contains a bit more clay. The wines are equally unique expressions and typically long lived. This bottle is no exception.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a hour. The 2010 “Les Lys” pours a bright yellow color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with explosive notes of tart and ripe orchard and tropical fruits: green apple, starfruit, passion fruit; a mixed bag of citrus with lemon, lime and even some tangerine. There’s white flowers, a whiff of brioche and racy minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. It has been a few years since I last had the 2010 and it’s no less stunning. Drink now through 2035+

Vintage 2011 | insane that you do not have the feeling to drink a 13 y old wine, minerality driven, beautiful

Confrérie Des Chevaliers du Tastevin Sous-Commanderie d'Albany, Paulée Dinner; 10 September 2023 at Chez Mike, East Greenbush, NY

2007 | Chardonnay
Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix; Les Lys 1er Cru
Burgundy; Chablis, France
(93-96; Drink 2023-32)
From our cellar, decanted 2H.

Big mineral nose. Sea air and sea breeze. Some grilled nuts. So clean and airy. Wonderful for a hot day in NYC. Palate is ripe, rich and tense. Oily but classically Chablis but also in the unique Defaix style. So unctuous yet compact. Awesome purity and length. Lemony finish. Really outstanding bottle. Good depth and concentration and just a drop dead texture. Nose with air is dripping with lemon flesh and sap. But so mineral.

9.4 to 9.5 overnight with incredible finesse and so much more saline. Also some candied quality.

2010 | Chardonnay
Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix; Les Lys 1er Cru
Burgundy; Chablis, France
(92-94; Drink 2025-35)

Let this puppy breathe and reap the rewards. Defaix’s wines are so damn cool

Meyer lemon, lime zest, gorgeous minerals and such an integrated and complex nose. So elegant and focused. Wow. Palate is vibrant and deep. Very sappy and earthy. Almost a faint porcini element. Super sappy, super mineral and super long. So pure. Best Defaix yet? Such an intense grippy finish.

2007 Lime, lime pith and lemon peel hold strong despite age. Lemon madeleines, orange oil, tangerine pith, lemongrass, evergreen. Orange peel, lemon oil and lemongrass forefront, while lime neutralizes to background color green olive swims in the lime, chamomile, kefir lime, grape leaf, crystalline salinity. Bright and ripe after 15 years!


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Nose has lemon preserves, dehydrated pineapple, ripe pear and honeysuckle.

Palate has under-ripe pineapple, yellow apple, pear, beeswax and crushed rock with a quite lengthy finish. Notes at 90m open.

One of the most fresh 15 year old Chablis I can ever recall; A pure treat for the senses.
Paired to a roasted chicken from a local farmer, pan drippings supplemented with Bourgogne Blanc enhanced the veggies roasting below.

And now for a golden oldie! Borders on baked golden apple, poire William notes, green apple slices, and even green apple hard candy. Green pear in a pineapple wash, orange bread, pear tart, dinner roll with orange marmalade. Half-dried lemon juices spiral down pile of acid and minerality. Shows it’s age in all other ways, but acid remains unbroken. Baked crab apple, radish fringe, baked grapefruit but just browned, sour mandarins, lemon and lime piths pull it back to its sinew. Really amazing wine. Endless citrus finish.


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