2022 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru "Monts Mains"

Distinctive, creamy, almost lactic character on the nose. An intriguing Montmains but, at the moment, the fruit is a bit behind the acidity. Will need time. Lovely purity, not a blockbuster, but there is plenty of sunny ripeness. Located on the top of Montmains, with vines lying on thin soils over the bedrock in a windy area.(AH)

The 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains wafts from the glass with aromas of crisp green apple, oyster shell and white flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and suave palate that's deep and concentrated, animated by racy acids and concluding with chalky grip. On my most recent visit to the domaine, Isabelle Raveneau presented the young wines from barrel, along with a selection of the just-bottled 2021s. She compares the 2022 vintage with 2020; and in the wines' purity of fruit and ability to remain fresh and ethereal in so warm a year, 2022 is indeed strongly reminiscent of a somewhat fleshier 2020. The young 2021s couldn't offer more of a contrast: chiseled and incisive, with a touch of aromatic exotica in the generic Chablis bottling; but they are far from austere, and much like the domaine's 2016s, I suspect they will be quite approachable young despite their more old-school profile. Readers looking for more information on the history and approach of Domaine Raveneau are directed to my article in the End of March 2019 issue of The Wine Advocate.(AH)