Laurent Tribut

History of Domaine Laurent Tribut

Domaine Laurent Tribut was established in 1987 by Laurent Tribut, husband of Marie-Clothilde Dauvissat, who hails from an illustrious family of winemakers. This union was not merely a personal alliance: it opened the doors for Laurent to an exceptional viticultural heritage. Years earlier, the Dauvissat family had acquired excellent vineyards in Chablis, adjacent to their own Premier Crus, with the intention of offering their children the opportunity to become winemakers in their turn. It was in this way that Marie-Clotilde and Laurent Tribut came to take possession of these plots.

Laurent began crafting his wines in the cellars of the Dauvissat family, before going on to set up his own cellar in the village of Poinchy, just outside the town of Chablis. Those years spent alongside René and Vincent Dauvissat were defining: they forged a rigorous, humble approach deeply rooted in the traditions of great Chablis.

Today, his children Solange, Adeline and Gabriel have joined the family business as talented winemakers in their own right. The transmission of expertise thus continues in an unbroken line, with the same exacting standards and the same attachment to the terroir that have built the domaine's reputation.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Laurent Tribut

The domaine of Laurent Tribut extends over seven hectares, comprising four hectares of Chablis Villages, nearly two hectares of Premier Cru Beauroy, 0.8 hectares of Premier Cru Côte de Léchet, and 0.2 hectares at Montmains. This mosaic of plots allows the domaine to express the full richness and diversity of the Chablis terroir, while maintaining a modest annual production of approximately 40,000 bottles.

The geological bedrock of these vineyards is one of the most celebrated in the wine world: Kimmeridgian limestone. The soils are shallow and stony, resting on Kimmeridgian marl rich in oyster and shellfish fossils dating from the Upper Jurassic period. It is this unique composition that gives the wines their characteristic mineral aromatic signature — that iodine-tinged tension and cutting freshness that make Chablis so singular.

Laurent uses a minimum of fertilisers and phytosanitary treatments. Yields are deliberately kept low, and the harvest is carried out entirely by hand. Viticulture is managed with reason: the vines are not treated systematically, and always with respect for the environment. This philosophy of non-intervention in the vineyard guarantees the purest and most faithful expression of the terroir in every bottle.

Winemaking at Domaine Laurent Tribut

Winemaking at Domaine Laurent Tribut is a direct reflection of the teachings received from the Dauvissat family: minimalism, precision and respect for the fruit. The grapes are direct-pressed, and fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats. The use of natural yeasts, indigenous to each plot, is a deliberate choice: it preserves the character unique to each terroir and avoids any aromatic standardisation.

After fermentation, the wines are aged in old oak barrels sourced from various renowned forests, notably the Allier, the Vosges and the Châtillonnais. This measured use of seasoned wood, over several passes, brings a subtle complexity without ever masking the minerality or the vivacity that define the great Chablis wines. The Premier Cru Beauroy is aged for 6 months in stainless steel vats, followed by 12 months in multi-use barrels.

The wines undergo a light filtration shortly before bottling, ensuring their purity and finesse. The addition of sulphur is kept to an absolute minimum. Laurent Tribut's credo is to intervene as little as possible in the ageing of his wines, allowing nature and the terroir to guide each vintage towards its most authentic expression.

The Cuvées of Domaine Laurent Tribut

Chablis Villages

The Chablis Villages is the ideal introduction to the domaine's signature style. This wine boasts ripe yellow fruit and a classic, timeless Kimmeridgian mineral backbone. The Chablis Villages stands out for its freshness and notes of linden blossom, with a lively acidity and a clean, crystalline finish. Aged primarily in stainless steel vats to preserve its aromatic purity, this wine is ideal with oysters, seafood or river fish in a light sauce. Best enjoyed in its youth, between two and five years of ageing, it represents an excellent quality-to-price ratio at around €25 to €30.

Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy

The Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy is crafted from young and old Chardonnay vines sourced from three different plots across the 1.8 hectares of the Premier Cru Beauroy. This Kimmeridgian terroir, situated to the north-west of Chablis, yields wines of great aromatic complexity. The Beauroy reveals an additional dimension of toasted richness and a harmonious burst of luminous citrus. On the nose, one perceives notes of green apple, white flowers, candied lemon and wet chalk. The palate is taut and mineral, with ample body and a long, saline finish. This premier cru reveals its full potential after four to five years of cellaring.

Chablis Premier Cru Côte de Léchet

The Côte de Léchet is one of the finest expressions of the Tribut style: a straight, deep wine of remarkable tension. This north-west-facing Premier Cru develops a more austere and vertical character than the Beauroy. Notes of iodine, flint, lime and menthol dominate on the nose, while the palate offers a cutting acidity and a long, persistent mineral finish. Some wines from the domaine display particularly expressive iodine qualities, and the Côte de Léchet is the perfect illustration of this. A gastronomic wine, to be paired with scallops, lobster or a well-aged goat's cheese. Recommended cellaring time is five to eight years.

Chablis Premier Cru Montmains, Fourchaume / Forêts

The domaine owns a 0.5-acre plot in the lieu-dit Forêts of the Premier Cru Montmains. This micro-plot yields a highly exclusive wine, produced in very small quantities. Montmains, whose clay-limestone terroir is slightly different from the domaine's other Premier Crus, produces rounder, more enveloping wines, with aromas of pear, white flowers and a gentle minerality.