A beautifully layered nose features notes of ripe citrus, sea breeze, dried flowers, quinine and mineral reduction. The punchy medium-bodied flavors are built on a base of minerality that adds lift to the tension-filled finish that coats the mouth with acid buffering dry extract. This is not especially refined but it really fans out on the wonderfully long finale and should reward 7 to 10 years of bottle age. Outstanding ♥

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. I must confess that Dauvissat’s 2011 Chablis 1er Cru La Fôrets completely caught me out, but his wines are notoriously difficult to taste blind when young. The nose is a moody old bugger, like trying to wake up your snoozing grandpa in his comfy chair. Rather than a lack of intensity, I just think this is stubborn and backward. The palate has a twist of bitter lemon on the entry and this is where the action is, with touches of white pepper and dried herbs infusing the finish that still seems insulted that it would be assessed blind. The ignominy! Having forwarded by desultory mark, naturally the wine opens and begins to motor. - Neal Martin