Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2018 - Domaine Laroche

Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2018 - Domaine Laroche

91+/100 Parker

Cellaring : 2023 - 2037

By William Kelley on August 5, 2021: "Derived from the Chaplot lieu-dit, the 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre opens in the glass with notes of citrus pith, vanilla bean, mirabelle plum and pear. Medium-bodied, full-bodied and lively, with a fleshy core of fruit and a long, electric finish, it's a great success."

- Winemaker and vintage: The dynamic Gregory Viennois, who presides over Laroche's 90 hectares as technical director, continues to drive this great house forward, and with each vintage the wines seem to gain depth and dimension. The Viennese is a Chapoutier and Derenoncourt alumnus, and he is working toward more sustainable farming and moderate yields in the vineyards, eliminating the use of pesticides, herbicides and anti-botrytis treatments, as well as long, hard pressing of the grapes in the cellar to structure the dry extract. The oak used recently is more subtly employed, and Laroche's transition to screw caps in the early 2000s has been abandoned. Several vintages now benefit from longer aging, and a few new smaller bottles from Laroche's larger properties have joined the lineup. The 2018, revisited here in bottle, showed well, constituting a fine achievement in this abundant vintage, and the 2019 is even more promising.

- The Montée de Tonnerre climat has southwest exposure and is separated from the Grand Cru Les Blanchots only by a narrow ravine. To reveal its elegance, it was aged on fine lees in a variety of containers, both stainless steel and French oak.

Terroir. One of the most beautiful Premiers Crus of Chablis, this climate is home to numerous fossilized outcrops. Renowned for its exceptional blend of finesse and intensity, this wine is revealed by a rigorous maturation in French oak barrels.

- Pairings : Fish and shellfish will be a good companion. 

- The grapes are sourced from partner winemakers working throughout the year in collaboration with Domaine Laroche.