Tasted in Chablis with Marine Race, 27 January 2022.
Domaine Laurence et Denis Race
15 Rue de la Croix Duché
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 45 87
www.chablisrace.com
More reports with Domaine Laurence et Denis Race
Marine on 2021:
“21 it’s the worst – less than half a harvest – we haven’t been so low since 2003…”
Marine on 2020:
“Wow – a super vintage. My father has never seen such an early to harvest – in August! We were really happy with the quality and the volume was okay too – we have both. I think a little less vivacity than the 19s but they are lovely.”
The wines…
You will find that these wines have super textures. The Petit Chablis is most definitely worth your time. The rest slowly grow in tension and interest as you go through the range.
In 2021 they harvested their first grand cru grapes since replanting – but only 200kg. Maybe next year they will have something commercial – but the 2021 volume is so low that it will be kept for them. Since 2009 with DIAM for the Petit Chablis and since 2014 for all their cuvées:
Next to Montmains a bit more than a hectare close to Butteaux.
That’s pure, modest intensity but finely perfumed – it’s lovely. Supple, silky, a little fat but direct and mineral too – the finish full of tasty agrume citrus. That’s a top PC – bravo!
2020 Chablis
A bit more depth and there’s a good vibration of minerality here too. Less sweetness, more direct, a little more structured but texturally rather well covered. More depth and intensity to the finishing flavours though today not as delicious as the PC – give this a little time in the cellar.
2020 Chablis 1er Vaillons
Fuller, brighter lemon-yellow fruit – that’s quite inviting. Wider, more clarity, deep too though – perhaps a faint reduction. Again nicely textured, that’s a lovely wine
2020 Chablis 1er Montmains
Hmm – I like – less open but here is a very attractive width of aroma over a fine minerality – yes! Extra mineral – slowly mouth-watering as it grows in intensity. Really wide and ingraining with super flavour – excellent with waves of finishing flavour. I’d be looking for a bit more energy to call it excellent wine – but there is tension and it’s clearly very good!
2020 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
A little more citrus and floral complexity. Extra tension. Vibrant, lovely energy. Again there’s nice texture and a mouth-watering yet powerful finish. Really wide – this is excellent!
2020 Chablis 1er Montmains Vieilles-Vignes
From 59 year-old vines, in Butteaux.
Super perfume – vibrant, mineral but also a little floral too. More direct, more concentrated – a core of impressive texture and growing intensity – it’s rounder in shape than the MdM but more guarded and a bit more powerful too. I’d be drinking the MdM whilst waiting for this! Super – it just needs to unwind in the bottle, in your cellar for a couple of years.