2011 Chablis Vaillons

The Laroche 2011 Chablis Vaillons Vieilles Vignes is not just chalky and stony as well as pithy and chewy in its evocation of fruit skin, it’s also downright austere in a way that I have seldom if ever experienced from this vintage. Some sense of buoyancy associated with 2011 is happily in evidence and there is admirable sheer persistence. But this is pretty tight, even tough, so I can only recommend one revisit it in a year or two, and presume that it will remain in (possibly rude) good health through at least 2016. Subsequent to the 2009 absorption of Laroche into the publically traded, Languedoc-based negociant JeanJean SA, Michel Laroche seems to have faded into the role of historical figure and inspiration. In 2011, Gregory Viennois – whose wide experience includes stints with Derenoncourt and Chapoutier – stepped into the role of technical director (i.e. winemaker) long-held by Denis de la Bourdonnaye. The scope of vineyards being sourced as well as estate vineyards being planted continue to expand. Viennois reports having picked relatively late in 2011 in order to emphasize the ripe pit fruit expression of which that vintage is manifestly capable. Yet, inexplicably, it wasn’t manifest in the two examples I sampled alongside the 2012 collection. Some lots in 2011, reports Viennois, never underwent malo-lactic transformation, but I can’t say that I sense this having been a significant factor in the two I tasted. In 2012, harvest was – as at most domaines – postponed until it became necessary, in the last week of September, and completed in the first several days of October. While Laroche’s three grand crus from 2012 were still in barrel, all of the premier crus were assembled, and most had been racked into tank (from foudre, barrels or other tanks) just a week before I visited, so I have made liberal use of the designation “+?” to allow for likely recovery from shock. Bottling was projected for late this year through next spring depending on the wine in question and its perceived evolution. By the way, although Laroche is well known for being a pioneer in the use of screw-cap closures, all of the samples I tasted on the present occasion had been sealed with natural cork! (Luckily, none were tainted.) Note also that in keeping with past practice in these reports, I have not reflected in the official description of a wine its origin in purchased or domaine fruit as the case may be, except where this is necessary to disambiguate the wines because of there being both an estate-bottling and a negociant bottling from the same cru. I have, however, mentioned a wine’s vineyard sources or estate status as part of its tasting note. Importer: Canon Wines, Ltd., San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 394-6454

(from the lieu-dit Roncieres, which features calcaire topsoil and clay underneath): Ripe aromas of lemon, orange oil and gunflint, plus a suggestion of petrol. Smokier and a bit more rustic than the estate Montmains, showing good breadth and energy to its peche de vignes flavor. Finishes with an almost tannic impression. Quite vertical for this bottling, which comes from a site that ripens quickly. "It can get more exotic if you wait," notes Gregory Viennois. "It's the opposite of the Montmains."

Balanced, rounded, intense green fruit. Good depth and persistent concentration. (RH)