2004 Domaine Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru

The spiced mineral-scented 2004 Chablis Butteaux is a pretty, medium-bodied wine. Its engaging, satin-textured personality unleashes delightful spiced apple flavors. This potentially outstanding effort has lovely depth of fruit and a terrific mouth-feel. Drink it by 2011. The Raveneau brothers were in the process of bottling their 2004s when I visited the estate in late April, 2006. “This is a vintage of pleasure, the 2004s are simple wines, they do not have a powerful constitution,” said Bernard Raveneau, who concentrates on vineyard work and handles the vinifications. (His brother Francois deals with all the tractor work as well as the administrative issues.) He reiterated what I’d heard in all of Burgundy’s cellars, that the yields had gotten totally out of control during the rain-plagued month of August. “We harvested 70 hectoliters per hectare on average across the entire estate. We’ve never seen such a plethoric vintage!” Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Pale, bright yellow. Very reduced aromas of pepper, snap pea and blond tobacco. Then dense, sweet and pliant, with lovely richness and generosity offlavor. Finishes rich and long, with an oily floral element. This wine finished with just under two grams of sugar-not a bad thing in a vintage like 2004.