2018 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru

If you could choose your first winery visit after lockdown, what would you choose? Mine turned out to be Domaine François Raveneau, one that I suspect many others might pick since they are widely seen as the leading producer in Chablis. Isabelle Raveneau, as chirpy and chatty as ever, was on hand to guide me through their complete range of 2019s plus some 2018s that were bottled in May down in their barrel cellar.

I asked her about the harvest in 2018, in particular, whether she had encountered much difficulty in recruiting able hands. “We had a small concern about harvesting,” she told me. “We have phoned and registered 20 pickers. I am more concerned about the safety measures, for example, when and where we are going to eat. The 2018 vintage was picked from 30 August and 10 September for 2019. The 2018 vintage is twice the size of 2019 and completely different. It took about seven days to pick. The yields [in 2018] are higher so you don’t have the same concentration.” Isabelle told me that it was the first time that the domaine had ever done VCI, when authorities permitted producers to pick 10hL/ha above the permitted yield.

I wanted to drill down further with regard to her perception of the 2019 growing season. “The 2019 is very different to 2018,” she answered. “There was a cold spring with some localized frost followed by cool weather. The vines had a hard time growing and even during flowering, it was quite cold. Then we had a hot June and dry summer generally. There was a little rain before harvesting which saved the yield, though it remained small due to the earlier growing cycle. The acidity is slightly higher than 2018 and a lot more concentrated. Yields were half that of 2018.”

Domaine Raveneau is not immune to the influence of the growing seasons and like the rest of Chablis, juxtaposing the 2018 against 2019, I concur with Isabelle Raveneau that the latter have better acidity levels, concentration and more terroir expression. As such, these must be reflected in my scores, however, it would be disingenuous to suggest that their 2018s, good as they are, exist on the same quality level as either the 2019, or previous vintages such as 2014 or 2017. There is much to savor in 2019, right from their Petit Chablis up to their clutch of Grand Crus. Standouts? An excellent Chablis Village for starters, a fabulous and seductive Chablis Vaillons, a slightly nutty Montée de Tonnerre and a gorgeous marine-influenced La Fôret. This is one example where I do find that their Grand Crus are a tangible step up from the Premier Crus. Their Les Clos is a candidate for Chablis of the vintage thanks to both its uncommon poise and pixelation.

The 2018 harvest started on August 30 at Raveneau. “It was our second-earliest harvest,” Isabelle Raveneau told me. “Only 2003 was earlier.” Tasted from barrel, the wines are soft and supple, but have plenty of that signature Raveneau stylishness. The 2017s have even more, though. More tension, more nuance and more expression of place. Sadly, yields were down 30%, which is not as severe as 2016, when production was down a whopping 50%. As always, the wines are fermented (both primary and secondary) in stainless steel, and then racked into barrel for élevage. Occasionally some lots are fermented in wood, but that is only for new barrels that need to be seasoned. Highly coveted by winelovers around the world, the Raveneau Chablis remain distinctive and soulfully beautiful.