2010 Chablis Vaillons

The 2010 Chablis Vaillons marries textural elegance to richness and vibrant, pure minerality. Peaches, apricots and spices flow from this extroverted wine. The Vaillons is riper and much more open than Montmains, reflecting the personality of this warm microclimate. Accordingly, it should drink well relatively early, although it also has the stuffing to age. Anticipated maturity: 2014. (Not yet released) My visit with Bernard Raveneau was one of the highlights of my trip to Chablis earlier this summer. At their best, Raveneau’s wines are contemplative and breathtakingly beautiful. I never miss a chance to drink them whenever I can. The 2011 harvest started on September 5th and lasted 6 days. Hail was an issue in some spots, most notable Les Clos and Montee de Tonnerre, where yields were down 25%. Raveneau adds that a measure of minerality is missing because of the late rains in the season. Raveneau thinks the 2010s have more character than the 2011s. The irregular flowering was most severe on the right bank (Clos and Montee de Tonnerre in particular), while the left bank, which was a week later to flower moved through the flowering with only a 10-15% reduction in yields, modest within the context of the vintage. Raveneau told me the 2010s were very austere at the outset. He thought they might stay that way, instead the wines softened considerably after the malos, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The 2010s were bottled end of May 2012, quite late by Chablis standards. As for the wines, they are pretty stratospheric. There is a sense of utter life and vividness in the 2010s that makes them utterly irresistible. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Pale yellow with green highlights. Expressive aromas of apple, pear and orange blossom. Concentrated, sappy and perfumed, with a saline minerality giving texture to the middle palate and perking up the back end. Finishes long and perfumed, with a lovely combination of salty minerality and fresh orchard fruits. This has turned out very well.

The 2010 Chablis Vaillons shows off a gorgeous, multi-dimensional personality. White flowers, white stone fruits and slate are some of the nuances that emerge from the understated, classy finish. This is one of the more vibrant 2010s. My guess is that it is at the beginning of an upward trajectory that is likely to take it quite high.