94pts Vinous

The 2022 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has a rather strict nose, backward with crushed stone and fleeting white flowers. The palate has a lovely rondeur on the entry with white peach and nectarine, those deep clayey soils giving depth and persistence to the finish. Quite powerful, but it will need time.
Barrel Sample: 92-94

94pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Bursting with notes of white flowers, orange zest, nutmeg and iodine, the 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with bright acids and a long, expansive and perfumed finish. As ever, its expressive, charming style makes it something of the more-mineral Séchet's alter ego. Barrel Sample: 92-94

94pts Jasper Morris

Pale lemon yellow. This is very classy, purer and fresher, with all the little stones queuing up at the end of the palate, savoury but with fresh white fruit all around, much less dry than Séchet. Fine long finish. Drink from 2029-2038.

93pts Decanter

A very precise, high-quality example, with weight and ripeness on the palate coming from vines which are planted on very thick soils over Marne bedrock. Touch of bitterness on the finish. Attractive, forward and floral Vaillons.

93pts James Suckling

A mere 200 meters from the meager soils of Sechet, this is a site with more clay. A more voluminous expression, rounder and mouth-filling, with a note of phenolics as much as freshness. Tangerines with hints of stone fruit and nuts. An easy wine to love, without quite the pixelated freshness and exquisite detail of the Sechets. Drink or hold.

93pts Burghound

Note: from one-third Beugnons and two-thirds Châtains. A markedly more floral-infused nose reveals additional notes of white pepper, tidal pool, iodine and plenty of citrus elements. There is a bit more volume to the beautifully textured medium weight flavors that possess excellent punch while keeping a similar level of refinement on the balanced, focused and lingering finale. This is pretty much textbook Vaillons. *Outstanding!*

Winery Notes

One of Chablis' most prestigious proprietors, René Dauvissat, with his son Vincent, farms nearly twenty-three acres of meticulously kept vineyards, all in Premier Cru appellations. These vines (4.5 acres of Vaillons, 2 of Sechets, and 9.4 of Forets among the Premiers Crus, 2.5 of Preuses and 4.5 of Clos among the Grands Crus) are splendidly sited on hillsides underlain by Jurassic limestone. Yields are limited to about 50 hectoliters per hectare, modest by the standards of the region. A loyal following among France's most esteemed restaurateurs sharply limits the availability of Dauvissat wines for export. Nonetheless, it is no surprise that they have attracted the praise and attention from Hugh Johnson, Alexis Lichine, Robert Parker, and Anthony Hanson. "This talented winemaker makes it look almost too easy, routinely turning out intensely flavored, incisive wines that manage to be both accurate to their terroir and long on personality. While the wines can be austere in their youth, they have a track record of aging superbly." Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar