# Les Hauts De Milly (2024)

- **Producer:** Domaine Bernard Defaix
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €35
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** grapefruit, lemon, lime, apple, pear, ripe white orchard fruit, petrol, quinine

## About this wine

Les Hauts de Milly is a Chablis AOC wine produced by Domaine Bernard Defaix in Burgundy, France. The 2024 vintage faced significant viticultural challenges, resulting in extremely low yields and a wine that embodies a classic Chablis style. The estate, managed by the fourth generation of the Defaix family, is dedicated to organic and sustainable farming practices. The unique Kimmeridgian soil of the region, characterized by fossilized oyster shells, contributes significantly to the wine's distinctive minerality.

## Interesting facts

- The 2024 growing season was described by the producer as 'the growing season from hell'.
- Yields for the 2024 vintage were as low as 10-15 hl/ha, making this a rare bottling.
- The domaine's vineyards are planted on ancient soils filled with fossilized oyster shells.
- Domaine Bernard Defaix practices organic farming with biodynamic influences.

## Food pairing

The wine's high acidity and pronounced minerality cut through the richness of seafood and creamy sauces, while its citrus notes complement lighter fish dishes. The saline character of the wine makes it a natural partner for oysters.

## Wine making process

Domaine Bernard Defaix produces its Chablis wines through a process focused on preserving the purity of the Chardonnay grape and the distinctiveness of the Chablis terroir. Grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks using natural yeasts, a technique that emphasizes freshness and minerality. The wine then undergoes aging on its fine lees in stainless steel for 10 to 12 months, further developing texture and complexity without the use of oak. This approach ensures a classic, unoaked style that highlights the wine's vibrant acidity and mineral core.