Have had very few, if any, oxidised Raveneau wines but last nights 04 Montee de Tonnerre was overtly honeyed and out of shape. I cracked another from the same stash today with lunch that was fresh as a trout and drinking beautifully. It had some fennel and mint notes along with oyster shell and lemons. It has a light creaminess in the mouth, is textured yet incredibly detailed and finishes with a grapefruit snap.
It’s been like 50 shades of oxidation for us over the last few months ranging from nut brown to deep golden, and 04 is the main offender. 3 bottles of 04 Maison Leroy Meursault ‘Perrieres’ have been quite tired, two Fevre 04 ‘Fourchaume’ were at various stages of over-development earlier this week.
Cheers
Jeremy
Jeremy - I too have had generally good experiences wth Raveneau but last niught we had two bad bottles of 99 Montee de Tonnerre - one corked, one oxidised. The 08 Butteaux showed well though.
Hi Jeremy,
04 is trouble. I have had a case of Blaim Gagnard Criot Batard all premoxed. Drinkable if refrigerated by undrinkable at cellar temperature. Grrrrr.
Anthony.
Never had a poxed Raveneau which have included a 97 Butteaux and more recently an 04 Montee de Tonnerre [which were certainly susceptible years for most] but I only ever drink them in France where Raveneau prices, even in top Michelin restaurants, are much cheaper than retail in the UK.
Too bad, Jeremy, that the first 04 MdT was not right but pleased to hear that normal Raveneau service was resumed with the second one. Was there anything odd about the wax with the first one?
While Raveneau is generally accepted as an exception to the pox phenomenon it won’t be surprising that 04 Chablis was/will be generally affected [assuming the pox is a function of changes made around the mid-90s] since the phenomenon had only recently [by 04] been noticed and efforts to address what is now accepted as a ‘real if still not comprehensively understood problem’ did not generally begin in earnest, after a period of doubt and denial, until some years later.
Been drinking up many '04’s now, but not Raveneau…
Might have to revisit a few…
Raven-ouch. Sorry. Still, if it makes you feel any better, one of my goals in life is to drink as well as Jeremy Holmes on his bad days.
Thanks for the heads up Jeremy. I’ve been lucky with 04’s. Oh oh, I probably jinxed myself ![[oops.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/1f129ddad071ffe5db6c99817c3cab666035a70a.gif "oops")
A few weeks ago had raveneau clos, 2004-2009, plus 06 vaillons and 09 butteaux. Nothing premoxed or otherwise flawed. Everything relatively glorious.
What are you, some sort of harbinger of disaster? First the Clavelier and now this within 24 hours?!?!? 
Al kidding aside, this is some scary stuff…
Mike,
I think must have upset the vinous gods. An 04 Fevre Les Clos was oxidised last night. The second bottle I pulled out was marvellous.
Cheers
Jeremy