Domaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2021

Domaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2021

Roland Lavantureux founded his namesake Domaine in 1978 following completion of wine school in Beaune. Since then he has built a reputation for crafting some of the most consistent and reliable examples of Chablis from vineyards planted on the prized Kimmeridgian soils around the village of Lignorelles. The Domaine is now under the care of Roland's two sons Arnaud and David who have increased the family holdings to twenty-one hectares, adding single-vineyard cuvées while constantly striving for more complexity and layered texture in the mineral-driven wines they produce. Ferments are temperature controlled in stainless steel and all but the Petit-Chablis spends some time in 2 to 5 year old barriques. Whilst the Vaudesir is a mighty Grand Cru, the signature wine of the Domaine is the lieu-dit 'Vauprin' which is one of the highest vineyards in Chablis and gives remarkable mineral influence to the wine.

From south-west facing vines in the hills around Lignorelles, the vines were planted in the 1960's and cover 3ha. The wine is fermented in steel tanks, with 60% aged for 10-12 on lees in tank, and 40% in older wood. Doesn't have quite the richness of the Vauprin Chablis but this is still a very fine, pure expression of 2021. Lovely acidity and mineral notes compliment the grapefruit characters and ripe pear fruit on the palate. Complex and classy. No hurry to drink this. Drink 2023 - 2027. 92 points Andy Howard MW - Decanter

This cuvée had the highest degrees of the vintage chez Lavantureux. Fresh pale yellow. Good plums on the nose, very joyous, a wine at ease with itself. An extra degree of succulence and more acidity too, very well handled. Half has been made in barrel but there is no evident wood effect. Drink from 2024-2028. 88-90 points Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy