2006 Chablis

The hot 2005 growing season favored a good sortie [i.e., the formation of the bunches] in 2006, which resulted in big clusters in which the grapes did not touch each other and thus were less likely to rot during humid conditions in August and mid-September. In fact, Dauvissat told me that the conditions in 2006 were perfect and that his fruit was virtually rot-free. He began harvesting on September 18 and finished five days later, with village fruit in the 12%-12.5% range and the crus between 12.5% and 13%. "The degrees skyrocketed during the first half of September," said Dauvissat, who told me that, for the second consecutive year, he did not chaptalize. Interestingly, Dauvissat finds the 2005s more open now than the '06s, not what one would expect from a hot year like '05.