THE CHABLIS HERITAGE
DANIEL-ÉTIENNE DEFAIX
ESTATE
SINCE 1610
Introducing
Historic Chablis estate – Domaine Daniel-Étienne Defaix is one of the oldest family-owned estates in Chablis, with winemaking roots dating back over 400 years and across multiple generations
Specialist in aged Chablis – Unlike most producers, Defaix releases wines only after extended ageing (often 5–10+ years), offering Chablis that is ready to drink yet built for further cellaring.
Traditional, low-intervention approach – The domaine uses natural yeasts, long lees ageing, and minimal filtration, preserving the pure expression of Chablis terroir.
Kimmeridgian terroir – Vineyards are planted on classic Chablis limestone soils rich in fossilized shells, contributing to the wines’ signature minerality and freshness.
Our Collection
Chablis Premier Cru
Its great richness offers a full and luscious palate, followed by a very mineral finish that promises delightful moments of indulgence. It will be the perfect companion to fine white meats with cream and mushrooms, elegant fish, and of course, raw milk cheeses from Burgundy.
Sourced from one of the oldest and steepest vineyards in Chablis (a 45% gradient), the sunny southeasterly exposure ensures perfect ripening, while the stony Kimmeridgian soil provides intense minerality.
Like the other Premier Crus, this wine spends years on the fine lees (often 10+ years) in stainless steel. This unique "late release" approach allows the wine to develop a silky, honeyed texture without ever touching an oak barrel.
2012 Côte de Léchet
Chablis Vieilles Vignes
Lively and mineral, it's the perfect match to oysters and seafood platters as an aperitif, and it also stands up to Burgundy snails, parsley ham, and Chablis andouillette sausage served with Chablis wine!
Produced from Chardonnay vines averaging 50 to 70 years old, the Chablis Vieilles Vignes is a benchmark for the region's traditional style. Unlike many modern Chablis, Defaix ages this wine on its fine lees for at least two to three years in stainless steel before release, resulting in a unique combination of racy acidity and a rich, creamy texture
2022
Bourgogne Rouge
Juicy and earthy, it’s a soulful red that pairs beautifully with roasted poultry or a classic mushroom omelette, and it also stands up to Burgundian deli meats, soft cheeses like Epoisses, and traditional oeufs en meurette!
The Bourgogne Rouge is a rare red wine produced in the Chablis region, where white wine (Chardonnay) typically dominates. It is crafted from a tiny, ancient vineyard of less than one hectare planted with Pinot Noir vines dating back to 1900
“Elegant and layered, where citrus purity meets subtle honeyed complexity”
Côte de Léchet 2012
DANIEL-ÉTIENNE DEFAIX
The Daniel-Étienne Defaix estate is the last bastion of a 400-year-old family legacy, where the fruit of the most ancient Cistercian-selected slopes is tended with a patience that defies the modern world. These vineyards, rooted in the fossilized oyster shells of Kimmeridgian limestone, are entrusted to Daniel-Étienne himself—a man who serves as a bridge between the medieval traditions of the monks and the precision of the present.
Defaix is a master of "slow wine" on a grand scale, famously refusing to release his bottles until they have reached a state of "sapid maturity," often aging them for 10 to 20 years in his historic cellars before they ever see a cork. This is precisely what the world of fine white wine needs: a rejection of the brittle, industrial-speed Chablis in favor of a deep, textural "glycerol" richness. By combining a strictly non-interventionist approach—using only indigenous yeasts, zero oak, and years of extended lees contact—he creates wines that are chemically pure, structurally profound, and entirely free of modern artifice.
Together, the Defaix family works 28 hectares of the most prestigious soil in Burgundy, including the legendary Petit Chablis, Chablis, and the iconic Premier Crus of Les Lys, Vaillon, and Côte de Lechet. These are wines of "Vieux Château" soul—bottled history that balances a haunting mineral acidity with the golden, honeyed complexity of a decade-long slumber.