2014 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montmains- France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (2/6/2021)
OMG I love this wine! Although still many years away from it’s optimal peakness…it has such amazing pleasure right now for the energy and youthful exuberance…the fruit is pure crystalline…CUT with lemon lime citrus…chalky limestone crushed with rocks, then added to the glass…the wine creams up quite nicely…with the signature waxiness and softness to the outer shell of compacted energy inside…like a cold steel sword dipped in wax! Total Chablis with the oyster shell salinity…sea air funk…slight spearmint and pretty blossom florals. Finishes long and smooth as a slip-n-slide…with tart, salty, puckering goodness for days! SO good! (95 pts.)
Tend to think that 2014 Chablis > 2014 Côte de Beaune > 2014 Côte Chalonnaise > 2014 Mâconnais. The 2014 Raveneau wines are right at the top of the tree and I remember how hard it was to persuade one of their UK importers that a low-budget doctoral student who wasn’t buying much else from them merited a few bottles. Still sitting on six 2014 Chaplot from that purchase, might try one in three or four years.
Not meaning to be braggadocious and under the heading of right place right time, I scored 72 bottles of Fevre 2014 Bougros “Côte Bouguerots” @ $30 per. Wholesaler’s warehouse shutting down.
Sounds yummy Buzz thanks for posting, and agree with William the wines from Chablis in 2014 are special.
Regarding the Montmains vineyard, I’m curious how you feel it compares to the other Raveneau wines from that location/hill? Butteaux is at the top of the hill, Forets is mid slope and Montmains is at the bottoms of the slope. I’ve done a couple blind tastings of all 3 wines from Raveneau, and find I slightly prefer the Forets over the other two. Thoughts?
The Raveneau family’s vines in Fôret are still quite young, and it’s one of the most open wines in the range out of the gates (Bernard Raveneau says it’s his favorite to drink young). Mountains is a touch tighter-wound and more reserved. And Butteaux is the most concentrated and muscular: old vines, lots of clay. Butteaux seems to be doing especially well in these warmer vintages, plus it has been spared by frost and hail to a greater extent than Montée de Tonnerre.
I was referring to the fact that the Grand Crus in Chablis are all on the right bank and not “mid-slope” on both sides of the river. Fourchaume, MdT (plus Chapelot and Pied d’Aloup) and Mont de Milieu and a few others indeed are also on the right bank along with the GCs. Vaillons however is on the left bank adjacent to Montmains.
Thanks William, that may explain why I prefer the Fôret from Raveneau as we typically are tasting the younger wines. I do agree that Butteaux is the most structured and muscular of the 3, as Alan our resident “Witzelsucht” might suggest it “gives one a kick in the Butteaux”.
This wine is all limestone chalk, citrus squeeze, and spearmint wax! GORGEOUS! So in the zone right here…quintessential Chablis with that salty sea air, oyster shell, iodine…framed so perfectly with ripe fruit and citrus energy…I could drink a sea of this stuff!
Wonderfully youthful, and still a scintillating green-gold, yet also absolutely open, delicious and flattering. Aromas of oyster shell, ozone and seaspray, with notes of white blossom and a touch of honey with air. Love the clean lines of this, that is finally a Raveneau that’s as least as much a classic Chablis as it is a Raveneau. Fine, mineral and taut, yet with a mid-palate volume and intensity. Gorgeous.
94/100
I just confirmed I own exactly zero Montmains from Raveneau of any vintage. But this updated note makes me think about trying a '14 MdT, which we have not touched since purchased on release.
