Daniel-Etienne Defaix owns one of the most ancient estate in Chablis (height centuries for the Vieux Château)
Since 4 centuries, Defaix family are winemakers from father to son.
The family estate is lodated on the most ancients terroirs from Chablis, where monks on Pontigny made a selection one thousand years ago to create the Chablis Appelation.
Daniel-Etienne DEFAIX perpetuates the secular and familial tradition on these great monastic appellations. The works at the vines remains traditionnal because a clean and healthy vineyard gives a good quality of grapes and so of wines.
The domain is 28 hectares, planted with Chardonnay on a typical soil called "kimmeridgien" (Jurassique supérieur, a marne argilo-calcaire with a lot of oysters fossilized inside).
The privileged exposition of the monks of Pontigny was still hill with high slope exposed south-East. A benefit for Chablis, scared by the freezes of the spring, that takes the first sunshines and also avoid crop losses.
Daniel-Etienne Defaix produces in the pure respect of the family tradition :
- 2 cuvées Chablis : Vieilles et Très Vieilles Vignes.
- 3 Chablis Premier Cru : Les Lys, Vaillon et Côte de Léchet.
- 2 Chablis Grand Cru : Blanchot et Grenouilles.