Domaine Gerard Duplessis Chablis (2021)
750mL / Chablis / France
Domaine Gérard Duplessis owns 1.8 hectares across 4 parcels, all situated between the 1er Cru of Vaillons and Montmains. North West exposition. 1 plot of 20 year old vines, 1 plots of 45 years old and finally 2 x parcels 60 year old vines. Lilian explains when you have the benefit of old vines their 'experience' as he put it helps to negate the warmer weather, they are not so easily influenced by these factors. Pressed straight into tank, no pre ferment racking or setting, wild fermentation, malo finished in tank. Petit Chablis then see 10 to 12 months elevage total in tank before bottling.
"The 2020 Chablis Village is a step up from the Petit Chablis, as you would expect, with more intensity and complexity; green apple and freshly-sliced pears are present on the nose. The palate is well balanced with a lightly-spiced entry, hints of stem ginger interpolating the malic fruit with a nicely weighted finish. Give this a year in bottle.”
Neal Martin - Sep 2022
About Domaine Gérard Duplessis:
Domaine Gérard Duplessis is a family run cellar founded in 1895, today managed by Lilian Duplessis. Located in the heart of the Chablis's region it has 9 ha divided on 8 different appellations. Every vineyard is worked in accordance to organic farming since 2007 and achieved certification in 2013 hence all the wines now from then are labelled as such. In fact he now farms biodynamically. All vineyards used for village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru wines are Kimmeridgian limestone, with the Petit Chablis on Portlandian limestone, making the village Chablis a seriously good village style.
Lilian's philosophy for working in harmony with the earth translates to how he works in the cellar: native yeast fermentations, fermentation with lees in stainless steel tank followed by a 12 to 18 month (depending on the classification & vintage) elévage in oak barrels (10% new) before being bottled with a minimal addition of sulfur. The Petit and Village Chablis see only cuve (vat) however minimum on 6 months on full lees post malo before bottling.