After a disappointing miss on the 2020 Raveneau Butteaux at another restaurant in Ireland a few days ago (on the list but sold out), we were given another opportunity for Raveneau. Off the list at George V Restaurant in Ashford Castle, where we’re staying, the wine was listed as 2020 but that vintage was sold out. Fortunately, they had received another allocation, which included this wine along with several earlier vintages of some of the Grands Crus. Given the prices, the Montée de Tonnerre was an easy choice.
If ever there was any doubt that decanting, vigorous swirling, and time in the glass can transform a young wine, this bottle would dispel it completely. It began tight and reserved, showing faintly pithy fruit, a touch of reduction, and a subtle mineral edge. With air, it evolved dramatically. By the final two glasses, the pith had blossomed into vivid red grapefruit and a kaleidoscope of citrus and florals. The texture was electric, intensely mineral, oyster shells and saline. It was a fantastic bottle. one of my favorites of this trip and of the year.
For comparison we had the Billaud Samuel Montee de Tonnerre 2021 on Sunday, and it was drinking beautifully.
In my book young Raveneau always benefits from decanting - and my sample size on this is relatively substantial.
Glad to hear about a positive experience with a 2021 white burg, especially Rav!
and yah almost all rav is better decanted 
I shared a bottle of the 2001 Montee de Tonnerre with friends 10 days ago. I loved it, though others were baffled, as it was served blind and didn’t fit any obvious category.
The color was surprisingly light, but there were some pleasant caramel notes and, with time, some flinty/mineral elements came out on the nose. It held up in the glass and would have benefited from a real decant. (The host popped and poured it.)
The acid was on the low side (one reason no one pegged it as Chablis, I think), but it had developed a great deal of complexity without being tired. I have another bottle I’ll feel safe keeping for a couple more years.
Appreciate the note! I have a few of these in the cellar, but have heard both positive and negative opinions on 21 Rav. Glad this showed well!
Trumps Villa in Tuscany all day long!
Nice done Warren!
The 2021 Butteaux was outstanding in the spring and was a great match with a stunning white asparagus dish.
Please excuse my naïve question, but by “reduction” can I also read “sulfurous?”
Not a naïve question at all. I should have been more specific as “reduction” and “sulfur notes” can mean a lot of different things. Reduction is a pretty complex subject. In this case it was the positive kind: a flinty, struck match note that eased off with some air. In my experience, reduction can show up in different forms, from that subtle matchstick character to more savory or even rubbery aromas, or worse yet cabbage or egg, depending on the specific sulfur compounds involved and how the wine was handled. Here it was the flinty camp and it lessened over time.