Tasted in Chablis with Marine Race and Martin the dog, 17 January 2018.
Domaine Laurence et Denis Race
5 rue de Chichée
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 45 87
www.chablis-race.com
Claire on 2017:
“We have about 3 hectares less of wine again in 2017. We produced 48 hl/ha in 2016 and 45 hl/ha in 2017 – I realise that’s not bad compared to some domaines, but it’s complicated when it’s the third vintage in a row like that. We had two weeks of frost in 2017 so it wasn’t an easy start, but the wines are round and aromatic – they have some similarities at the moment to 2016 and will be bottled in July.”
Claire on 2016:
“In 2016 we also lost 3 hectares – half due to hail the other half was the frost. But the vines were okay – some maladies too of-course – and it wasn’t just mildew, there was some botrytis right at the last-minute! It’s tiring to keep telling people – ‘sorry but we don’t have any wine’ – but hopefully we can change that with the 2018s!”
The wines…
A tasty set of wines – the first and last of which are first class for their respective labels.
Last year the Petit Chablis was sold out when I visited – but there was Chablis – this year it’s the reverse!
Next to Montmains a bit more than a hectare close to Butteaux.
A nice depth of aroma here – more of a golden lemon than lime. Ooh – round, melting, easy to appreciate but properly direct and fresh – melting with flavour. Great PC!
2016 Chablis
Sold out since November.
2015 Chablis 1er Montmains
All but the old vines included here.
A little extra width, fine purity and a hint of floral too. Round again, really tasty, good drive and intensity. Not a double jump from the PC – the PC is that good – but this is really very lovely wine. Yum!
2016 Chablis 1er Vaillons
More width, brighter with sweet minerality – this is a super-inviting nose. More direct, fresher acidity but melting wonderfully and energetically over the palate. Very tasty wine with acidity that pushes you a little but there’s nothing angular – yum! Super length!
2016 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Aromas are a little tighter but more concentrated at the same time. Ooh, this is very good there is just a little richness to the flavours but a width of balancing freshness and an intensity similar to agrume fruit – just a hint of salinity too. There’s so much to find here and in a great package – Excellent!
From 57 year-old vines, in Butteaux.
More open, less dense – a fine mineral base and lots of attractive high tones too. Really wide – super texture, mineral but with some sweetness, layers of middle flavors – really a fine wave of intense flavour going into the finish. Excellent – in fact Bravo – love this wine!