Chablis is in a good place. Like the rest of Burgundy, the cellars are full after good yields in ’22 and better than good yields in ’23. From this latter harvest just passed, people are telling stories of fruit falling off the back of trucks as they made their way to the winery and the streets of Chablis being covered in grapes and juice! Some have even suggested that this was done intentionally, as the vines carried yields well above the legal limits! To get back to the current releases, the quality of this grower’s 2022 wines is seriously impressive. We loved the delicacy of Defaix’s 2021s, but the new wines are next level. Sometimes, you’ve got to pick a favourite. Sure, it was another warm and sunny year, but unlike 2020, it wasn’t dry, which has made a staggering difference. Tasting the wines from the top growers, you would be hard-pressed to guess that it was a sunny vintage. Even if the wines are generous and intense, they have great brightness, terroir expression and infectious energy. In short, Didier and Sylvain Defaix’s ’22 Chablis are slap-bang in the classic, mineral-laden house style but with an extra degree of fruit generosity. We are sometimes lucky enough to taste some older Defaix vintages when we visit, and this year, we drank a Vaillons 1995 and a Côte de Léchet 1989. Both were superb. Given how delicious and approachable this grower’s wines are on release, it may surprise people that it’s only with 10 years or more bottle age that the wines of Domaine Bernard Defaix start to peak. If you can hold some bottles in good condition (even the basic Chablis for 5 to 10 years), you will be amply rewarded!