2002 Chablis Les Sechets 1er Cru

Sebastian Dauvissat, now on his own at this domaine following the recent death of his father, told me that grape sugars in 2003 were in the 10.5% to 11% range, or lower than in 2002, and that the estate's various cuvees were routinely chaptalized.Tartaric acidity was added to the musts, but no further adjustments have been made since the vinifications. Interestingly, Dauvissat told me that the extreme heat of 2003 saved his wines. If the sugars had been higher, we would have made wines that would evolve too quickly."Dauvissat added that the 2002s possess more material than the estate's 2000s, which he feels are more minerally today and are also in the process of closing down.The 2003s had been racked in January.(Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko NY

The 2002s are very full wines, with everything covered by fruit," says Jean Dauvissat, adding that the acid levels were in the sound 4 to 4.2 grams-per-liter range. It will be possible to drink the wines early or late. The 2000s, on the other hand, lack the acid spine for long aging," he went on. They're a bit mou and should be drunk within ten years." Two thousand was a vintage that could have used acidification, he told me, adding that he is not an acidifier. The 2001 harvest was much more difficult for this domain, as Dauvissat picks his fruit by machine and does not own a selection table. He did a longer, stronger debourbage to eliminate all but the finest lees. Not surprisingly, Dauvissat describes 2001 as a fragile vintage that needed a lot of SO2 (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko, NY) Also tasted: 2001 Chablis Montmains*.