2023 Domaine Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre

One of the calling cards of the estate and the largest cuvée by volume, Raveneau’s 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre is composed of two-thirds lieu-dit Chapelot and one-third lieu-dit Pied d’Aloup, uniting the broader, more textural personality of the former with the taut, mineral profile of the latter. Soaring from the glass with a bouquet of white flowers, orange zest, pear and crisp stone fruit, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample yet tensile and racy, concluding with a long, expansive finish. When it comes to Forêt, I tend to prefer Dauvissat’s interpretation, but it’s difficult to find a finer Montée de Tonnerre than the one produced by Raveneau.

The 2023 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has the most stony nose of Raveneau's Premier Crus. It shows sea cave and oyster shell notes, with very fine delineation. The palate is well balanced with orange pith and a touch of grapefruit. Fine depth, a little waxy in texture, building nicely towards a leesy finish. There's a completeness here that I admire, what you might describe as a sterling Montée de Tonnerre.