2004 Domaine Raveneau Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru

Pale color. The most complex and subtle of these 2004s on the nose: lime, grapefruit, white pepper, wet stone. Suave and penetrating on the palate, with terrific cut and intensity to its wet stone and citrus flavors. Perhaps best today on the brilliant, pure, slow-mounting finish, which offers a whiplash of flavor and a powerful impression of energy. This is utterly unevolved but even today there are no hard edges. A great 2004.

Opulent aromas of ripe pears and apples are found in the nose of the rich, bold, medium to full-bodied 2004 Chablis Les Clos. A sensual, suave, plush effort, it slathers the taster’s palate with ample waves of thick, sappy pears as well as apples. This decadent, fruit-driven Les Clos also sports a long, candied apple-packed finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2013. Incidentally, Bernard Raveneau told me, “2005 is like 2002 in Chablis, a great vintage, yet some of the wines are even better. The main difference is that 2002 was homogenous across the entire estate and 2005 is not.” 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

Discreet, complex nose hints at grapefruit, quinine, anise, white flowers and powdered stone. Saturates the palate with liquid stone and white grapefruit. A grand cru with great precision, energy and lift. Finishes extremely long and pure, with notes of grapefruit and crushed stone. An early candidate for wine of the vintage.