2016 Domaine Francois Raveneau Monts Mains, Chablis Premier Cru, Bottle (750ml)

Monts Mains is one of the most distinctive Premier Crus in Chablis, a site known for its very stony Kimmeridgian soils, the ancient marl and limestone, full of marine fossils, that gives the appellation its signature mineral edge. The vineyard faces southeast and sits at the more structured, concentrated end of the Premier Cru spectrum.

Domaine François Raveneau is the benchmark producer of Chablis, a small family estate farming almost entirely Grand Cru and Premier Cru vines. Every wine is hand-harvested and aged in small barrels called feuillettes, which build the estate’s perfume and creamy texture without heavy oak influence. Production is tiny, and bottles are sealed in wax and rarely stay on the market.

2016 was a low-yielding vintage in Chablis, and the resulting wines are rounder and more generous than a classic year, a style some producers call a “comfort vintage.” They show a succulent texture with lively acidity running through it, making them more approachable than the tighter, more austere vintages around them.

This bottling is drinking well now, with the stony backbone of the site to carry it for years to come.

John Gilman | 92 Points

"I love the mineral expression of the 2016 Montmains from the Raveneau family, as there is a very real crystalline expression to the soil tones here this year. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a refined blend of pear, lemon, spring flowers and a complex base of minerality. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely ripe on the attack, with a fine core, excellent focus and grip and superb backend tension on the long, poised and vibrant finish. A fine, fine bottle in the making."