2001 Chablis Chapelot 1er Cru

Imagine my surprise when Bernard Raveneau announced that 2001 was a stronger vintage than 2000 for this superb estate. It was possible to get ripe fruit in 2001," Raveneau assured me. It all a question of controlling your yields. Yes, there was a lot of noble rot in 2001, but the rot brought extra gras to the wines. Three of our wines reached 13% potential alcohol, and we did very little chaptalization for the other cuvees Raveneau added. In 2000, it rained the weekend before the harvest, and the precipitation resulted in an element of dilution. The same thing happened to us in 1970, a very good vintage that could have been even better if not for rain just before the harvest that swelled the grapes. Like the '70s, the 2000s will be nice wines for drinking on the young side." Raveneau went on to describe the 2001s as more jovial, fruit-driven wines for mid-term consumption, while the 2000s, despite coming from a large crop, show more of the minerality for which Chablis is known. The best Raveneau bottlings from both vintages showed spectacularly in early June.