“Eau de Roche,” wrote an astute and quite early wine writer to describe Chablis…back in 1328! Sounds like people have been pitching Chablis on its rocky minerality for at least 697 years now. Note, though, that in 1328 Europe was in the midst of what’s been called the “Little Ice Age,” so perhaps Chablis tasted like rock and not much else. The year 2023 was anything but an ice age in these parts, and the sun shines through in this Vaillons. It still has the stone for sure, but layered with lemon curd and almonds, and is just a pure joy to sip, as Savary always is.

Two From Roland Lavantureux

Roland Lavantureux, whose name still graces the label, is one of those vignerons who “retired” long ago but whom you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere other than the vineyards working the day away. It’s a true vigneron’s happy spot. Roland’s sons, David and Arnaud, are hardly new arrivals to the estate, having been at the helm for fifteen years already. Why then, I asked them recently, don’t they put their name on the label? “Everything we have here is thanks to Roland. He built this slowly, with hard work over four decades, and handed it all to us, with full confidence and independence to continue as we please. It was Domaine Roland Lavantureux before, it is now, and it will be forever, out of respect.” Now those are grateful children!
     Check out the fruits of Roland and sons’ labor in these two takes on premier cru Chablis. The Vau de Vey is famously steep (over 50% incline in parts—so we are in black diamond ski territory here) and worked exclusively by hand year-round. It also happens to be east-facing, which provides a nice citrus intensity and focus up front, with the signature Lavantureux unctuous finish thanks to long aging on lees. The Beauroy, the yin to the Vau de Vey yang, is from a full south-facing slope and allows us to venture to some lovely exotic fruit tones wrapped up in a wonderfully rich and silky structure.