2016 Domaine Tribut, Dauvissat - Chablis - 3 Flaschen (0,75 l)

Vinous - Neal Martin / Stephen Tanzer

Aromas of lemon, stone and menthol suggest an austere wine. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, displaying a brisk citrus edge and saline minerality. A very good, classic village wine in the making.

I have been visiting Domaine Laurent Tribut for a number of years now. It is just a short visit, since the portfolio is limited to just the villages and three Premier Crus from his seven hectares of vine. Yet the quality of his wines means I am always returning. As usual, Tribut matures the wine in pièces within his rather cramped barrel cellar and then finishes off the ageing in stainless steel vats for around six months. Tribut told me that he commenced the harvest on 3 September and cropped at 30hl/ha. These are crisp, characterful, charming Chablis that seem to attain that sweet spot between wood and steel, so that the former is always a subtle rather than a dominating influence on the wines. To quote Steve Tanzer himself, these are “vrai Chablis”. Tribut informed me that he will be retiring from 1 June and his children will be taking over the domaine.