2007 Chablis Les Clos
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Laroche's 2007 Chablis Les Clos - from a lower and downstream portion of this site, nearest the river - combines overtly, almost adamantly stony character with fresh lime, peach, fig, and hints of lanolin and vanilla from its slightly more than one-third barrel. Another very straight and long-lined expression of this site and vintage, it takes its sense of grip from chalky intensity, citrus zest, and fruit pit bitterness, but incorporates a richness of fruit that serves it well in a seamless and - although highly mineral - sappy and sensually satisfying mouthful. This is a powerful, relentlessly finishing, run-but-you-can-t-hide sort of wine that makes no apologies for the absence of nuance or nooks and crannies. I would anticipate it being worth following for a decade, though de la Bourdonnaye thinks longer. Winemaker Denis de la Bourdonnaye seems bullish on his 2007s and their aging potential, despite emphasizing what he felt was the need to extensively work what lees he retained, and to bottle correspondingly later to avoid too-lean an impression. Having said that, de la Bourdonnaye then goes on to observe that he thinks the use of screw-cap closures - to which this estate was among the first in France to commit - is especially well-suited to the personality of the vintage, and to -the preservation of precision and minerality during long aging.- The majority of the 2007 wines here came in at little more than 12% potential alcohol, he relates, and chaptalization was negligible. It was announced in late September that Languedoc negociant Jeanjean had acquired Laroche, although early indications pointed toward continuity in the Chablis estate, with Michel Laroche remaining as director. Importer: Remy-Cointreau USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 424-2244
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Altre recensioni e punteggi
Pale, bright yellow-green. Wonderfully pure, steely, soil-inflected aromas of lime, minerals, crushed stone and cyanic fruit pit; little sign of the 30% barrel component. Impressively intense and palate-staining, with great cut and outstanding depth to the pure lemon, lime and mineral flavors. This boasts uncanny density and complexity for a wine with 12.2% (natural) alcohol. A wine of great class, finishing with rare definition and verve and captivating floral lift. Will the 2008 reach the level of this vintage? Michel Laroche predicts that this will be great in 25 years.
Screwcap. Restrained nose with a lot packed into a dense palate package underneath. No compromises – very dry on the finish. Clean and bracing – though not painful. (JR)
Very pale color. Wonderfully pure, precise aromas of grapefruit, underripe pineapple, flowers and minerals. Then surprisingly dense but utterly seamless and silky on the palate, with highly perfumed flavors of graphite, lemon, stone and slow-mounting spices. Wonderfully sappy and elegant wine with terrific class and aging potential. Note that I tasted the tank portion, which will be two-thirds of the blend. (I also had an early look at the Blanchots, from a used barrel, but de la Bourdonnaye said this sample was not really representative. It displayed an almost honeyed ripeness to its fruit allied to powerful minerality and appeared to be very promising.)