2011 Chablis Saint Martin

Readers will find much to explore in this range from Domaine Laroche and its sister negociant label, called simply Laroche. One of the differences between the two ranges, other than of course provenance, is in elevage. The Domaine Laroche wines are partially or entirely done in 225 and 600 liter barrels, while the Laroche wines see no small wood, only cask. Because of the partial and/or whole vinification in oak, the Domaine Laroche and Laroche wines occupy a spot towards the richer end of the spectrum within Chablis. The 2012 harvest started on September 24 with Vau de Vey and ended on October 8 with Cote de Lechets and Bougros. I also tasted a number of 2012 1er and Grand Crus, but as is often the case here, those wines are hard to assess young because of the long lees aging favored by the domaine. The 2012s appear to have plenty of energy and resonance, but is still very early. Still, the entry-level wines bode well for the rest of the range. In the meantime, there is plenty to admire from the 2011s, a vintage Winemaker Gregory Viennois compares 2011 to 2005 for its spiced, slightly exotic personality. With their lower acidities and supple personalities, the 2011s will offer plenty of pleasure right out of the gate.

I tasted a wide range of wines during my visit at Domaine Laroche. The estate is back in the US market after an absence of several years. These are rich, textured wines that generally show the more opulent side of Chablis. Over the last few years, Domaine Laroche has begun to focus on organic viticulture and a greater reliance on indigenous yeasts, which is rare in Chablis. One of the unique aspects of these wines is that they are all bottled under screwcap. Winemaker Gregory Viennois told me the 2011 harvest started on September 12, which was towards the later side for the village. Viennois noted that potential alcohols and acidities were quite similar for both 2010 and 2011, which is quite unusual among the top domaines in Chablis.

Domaine Laroche waited until September 12 to harvest in 2011, said Michel Laroche, explaining that the grapes were still herbal and vegetal at the beginning of September and that it was necessary to wait for better skin ripeness."Two thousand eleven was a difficult year in the vineyards," said Laroche, and leaf-pulling was carried out in July in the estate's cooler blocks.Eventually, potential alcohol levels reached about 12% to 12.2%, and Laroche told me that virtually no chaptalization was done."It will be a vintage for the pleasure of drinking."Under winemaker Gregory Viennois, Domaine Laroche is using lower levels of SO2 during vinification and elevage, working with a greater quantity of lees for their reductive character.The crus had all been assembled just before my visit.