Domaine Bernard Defaix has been part of Chablis since 1959, when Bernard began with just two hectares of vines. Today the domaine is run by the next generation, Sylvain and Didier Defaix alongside Didier's wife Hélène, farming 27 hectares across some of the appellation's most compelling sites.

Organic farming has been at the heart of the domaine for years, with certification since 2012. The vineyards are ploughed, herbicides and synthetic pesticides are avoided, yields are kept low and fermentations begin naturally with indigenous yeasts. The result is Chablis with wonderful purity, texture and a very clear sense of place.

This village Chablis comes from four parcels of mature vines, more than 30 years old, around Milly and Poinchy on the left bank of the Serein. Fermentation is spontaneous, followed by 10 months on fine lees in glass-lined tanks, keeping everything focused on freshness and minerality.

Classic Chablis through and through. Citrus, green apple and white flowers lead into chalky minerality and a lovely saline edge. There is plenty of energy and precision, but the older vines bring an extra layer of depth and texture that makes this much more than a simple village Chablis.

A brilliant introduction to Defaix and exactly the kind of Chablis we love: pure, mineral, energetic and incredibly easy to come back to.