Rene & Vincent Dauvissat Chablis La Forest 1er Cru 2016 (750ML)

93-95 WA / 92-94 VM / 91-93 BH

The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru la Forest is one of the richer, perhaps more decadent premier crus from Dauvissat this year. It is very pure with wild honey, wild heather, flint and chalky scents that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity and salinity. It has a straight line as Chablis should and does not fan out on the finish but seems to accentuate its core flavors of sea salt, ginger, flint and white pepper, the latter tingling in the mouth long after the wine has departed. This is an astonishingly fine wine from a vineyard that is usually eclipsed by others. Not here. Neal Martin – The Wine Advocate

Pale, bright yellow. Pungent aromas of grapefruit pith, lemon zest and wild herbs; really amazing lift here for a vintage with moderate acidity. Seamless and fine-grained, already offering compelling inner-mouth perfume to its flavors of citrus fruits, wild herbs, acacia flower, jasmine and minerals. The wonderfully aromatic, slowly rising finish boasts outstanding floral lift. A great premier cru in the making. Hail and mildew reduced the crop level here to just 25 hectoliters per hectare. Stephen Tanzer – Vinous Media

Tasting note: This isn't quite as aromatically elegant but there is even better layering to the more obviously citrus-influenced nose of pear, wet stone, iodine and ocean breeze scents. The sleek, intense and utterly delicious medium weight flavors possess more mid-palate density and a bit more power as well that arises on the beautifully persistent finish. This isn't as classy as the Montée de Tonnerre but there is even better punch thanks to the excellent underlying tension. Allen Meadows – Burghound – Sweet spot – Outstanding