Domaine Rene et Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2023

The explosive nose has caught up to the ecstatic profusion of flavor shown on the palate in September 2023. It’s a heady wine, dialed up to 11, showing gingerbread spices, almond croissant, potpourri and flamed orange peels. Imposing and majestic on the palate with stylish acidity and rich, lightly oily extract, this is one for the ages. 97

This was relatively closed out of barrel – imposing and powerful, but not seductive. A year after bottling, it has blossomed into stupendous wine with notes of ripe apricot, quince, marzipan and hay. It is undoubtedly substantial, with enormous amounts of extract and just enough acidity to balance it out. 'Chewy' is how Dauvissat described it, as if one wanted a knife and fork. This is special wine, but it is far from ready to drink. Give it 15 years and drink it over the next 40 after that." 96

The 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a more expressive bouquet than the Les Preuses at the moment: crushed stone intermingles with hazelnut, hints of chalk and glimpses of yellow plum and Vervane. It coheres beautifully in the glass. The palate is more involving than the Les Preuses, perhaps edgier. A complex and very saline finish gets the saliva flowing. It seems to revel in being Les Clos and has one-up on Les Preuses at this prenatal juncture.