Tasted with Isabelle Raveneau, pictured with cousin Maxime, in Chablis, 16 January 2024.
Domaine François Raveneau
9 rue de Chichée
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 (0)3 86 42 17 46
More reports with Domaine François Raveneau.
Isabelle on 2023:
“I think everyone was happy with 23. There was no frost but plenty of rain in the Spring – so mildew was a problem for many – we didn’t do too badly. August had some fruit flies and we did plenty of triage at the vines so it was only very nice grapes that came into the domaine – the grapes contained a lot of juice due to the year’s rain. The fermentations went quite easily – our malos were already done in mid-December. We kept back a little 2020 for the professionals but we can breathe again after two decent volume vintages – the 2021s were less than one-third of our normal volume – so that was frustrating.”
Isabelle on 2022:
“We were on the limit of damage from frost but it was largely avoided. It was a summer that was dry and hot with some localised storms but we weren’t really in that year’s channels of rain so we didn’t have a lot of juice in the grapes. We had nice clean grapes – starting our harvest after the rain, 1st September. There was some more rain during the harvest time – but just after we had finished! On paper, the wines look very similar to 2020. Bottlings will start from April.”
The wines…
Largely gone is the hyper-impressive strictness of the domaine’s 2021s – replaced with a more delicious style – one that effortlessly balances those wines that remain strict for the vintage. You have to go a little higher up the range to see obviously great wines than was the case for the 21s – but what wines these are!
There’s been no racking so far – the wines 12 months in their barrels:
2022 Petit Chablis
A creamy width of barrel but there’s attractive freshness too. Also in the mouth – but the clarity and minerality are clear to see – that’s delicious despite the young barrel notes – give it 2 years in the cellar then attack!! Delicious – and a sneaky minerality flows through the last flavours.
2022 Chablis
More vibrant and direct nose – that’s lovely – no overt oak here. Hmm, a flavour that melts over the palate – finely textured too. Sustaining a super and quite mineral flavour – a subtle, almost elegant finish – but a completely delicious one too. I love it!
2022 Chablis 1er Forêts
Narrow, linear, but at the same time with elegance to the aromatics. Linear style in the mouth too – wonderful clarity to this quite mineral flavour. Again, pausing and holding the mineral finishing flavours – making them last longer. Another very elegant but pure wine – and, of course, it’s delicious.
2022 Chablis 1er Vaillons
More breadth of aroma here – but still airy and elegant in style. Much wider over the palate, a little crystallised yellow citrus and a faint suggestion of reduction – there’s extra (or more obvious) sucrosity here too. Complex, delicious wine – yes! Even a very faint finishing tannin to this texture.
Small in the top notes, wider towards the base – there’s the impression of plenty of minerality supporting this nose. Ultra mineral flavours – with classy, larger scale to the shape. I love it – ultra-Chablis – it’s a great wine!
A little extra width – finely divided – pixellated/granular aromatic complexity. Like the Montmains but a bit more so! Just a mm of extra comfort to this large-scale minerality. Often my favourite wine from this cellar – and it could be again – bravo!
2022 Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
Largest cuvée of the estate almost 3 ha.
Here there’s an extra volume of aroma and there’s a bit more evident fruit complexity. Hmm, I like how this sits on the palate – there’s volume in the mouth but a crystal-clear aspect to the flavours – it’s easier over the palate too – less strict than either of the previous two wines. But absolutely delicious and an excellent wine!
2022 Chablis Blanchots
Old vines planted today with an 85 cm spacing – ‘Too small for our tractors so we are using a horse to plough here.’
Today there’s quite limited scale to this wine’s aromas – except in terms of depth – that goes really deep! Hmm – in terms of structure this is intermediate to the Butteaux/Montmains strictness and the easier Montée de Tonnerre. Super shape and delivery of flavour though – I find more enjoyment here vs the Tonnerre – It’s just a beautifully textured wine with a little extra floral complexity and more length too. Beautiful Blanchots – Just a nose short of great today!
‘From the top of the plot, more sunny, more expressive and classic each year.’
A more open width of mineral aroma – there’s a nice vibration to this and it’s becoming quite floral too. More intense and direct – hmm – that’s just a beauty. Intense but with energy, a cascade of flavour – always faintly citrus, indeed faintly zesty too. That’s a great wine!
A similar width and vibration to these aromas as for the Valmur. Instantly much wider and with more energy over the palate – there’s a faint CO2 that’s pushing it in this direction though. So complex and energetic – I could drink it today – faintly floral accented flavours. That’s super – not necessarily better than the Valmur today – just shaped very differently.