2008 Chablis Les Sechets

The Dauvissat 2008 Chablis Sechet displays striking sweet and saline, scallop-like scents and succulence along with alkaline, citric, red raspberry, and distilled raspberry notes, all of which inform a luscious, refreshing, formidably-concentrated yet buoyant palate. Tart grapefruit and lime zest and a sense of raspberry seeds lend invigoration to the long finish. Here is one 2008 that does put me in mind of a cross between the same cuvee in each of the preceding vintages. I would expect this to perform beautifully for at least 6-8 years but would not want to miss out on savoring some young. Vincent Dauvissat points out that at least at his estate, 1996 was at once more severe yet more alcoholic and more exotic in aroma than what he terms the “more classic” vintage of 2008. Both years featured long cool growing seasons and wind-driven concentration in the late innings, but the fruit in 2008 was cleaner, and entirely botrytis-free, Dauvissat maintains. He says his 2008s come closer in character to 2002. (Incidentally, at age six months, Dauvissat’s 2009s showed promising vivacity and mineral inflection for their vintage.) Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802 (Under the “Dauvissat-Camus” label, certain of these wines are also imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel. (781) 352 1100.)