Domaine Laroche : Chablis 1er cru "Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes" 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the Chablis 1er Cru "Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes" 2024 from Domaine Laroche

Tasting

Nose
The bouquet proves particularly complex and intense, its aromatic concentration heightened by the very low yields of the vintage. It opens on a great freshness of citrus, accompanied by a slight reduction that lends it a great deal of energy.

Palate
On the palate, this cru stands out for its remarkable tension and a distinctly "steely" profile. The attack is lively and citrusy, revealing a firm structure sculpted by minerality. The finish, persistent and dynamic, points to remarkable potential.

Food and Wine Pairing

The citrusy tension and minerality of this cru pair wonderfully with pan-seared scallops. It also accompanies white meats in creamy sauces beautifully, such as veal blanquette, as well as aged cheeses like Comté, Brie or Chaource.

Serving and Cellaring

With its lovely energy and slight reduction in its youth, this Chablis 1er Cru "Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes" 2024 will benefit from a bit of aeration or a few years of cellaring to fully open up. Its taut structure gives it excellent ageing potential.

The Tension and Rarity of a Great White Wine from Chablis by Domaine Laroche

The Estate

Founded in 1850 by Jean-Victor Laroche, Domaine Laroche is a historic name in Chablis, in Burgundy. Now owned by the AdVini group and headed by Jean-Baptiste Mouton, the estate spans 90 hectares of vines in Chablis and 40 hectares in the Languedoc. Its identity is deeply rooted in l'Obédiencerie, a former 9th-century monastery where wine has been aged for over a thousand years. A pioneer in agro-ecology, the estate has been HVE 3 certified since 2016 and stands out for its biodiversity-friendly approach, illustrated by its philosophy of entrusting each individual plot to a single person.

The Vineyard

The climat Les Vaillons is an early-ripening, sun-drenched terroir in Chablis, facing south and east within an open, well-ventilated valley. Here, the estate cultivates a 2.17-hectare plot of old vines aged between 60 and 65 years. Deeply rooted in stony soils overlying Kimmeridgian marls and limestone, these vines benefit from rigorous agro-ecological practices. The soils are maintained without any herbicides, protected by natural ground cover, and the plant material comes from massal selections to preserve the diversity and health of the vineyard.

The Vintage

The year 2024 proved particularly trying for this plot of old vines, which suffered significant hail damage. This major weather event placed considerable stress on the vines and drastically reduced the harvest, limiting yields to around 20 hectolitres per hectare. These challenging conditions thus shaped an extremely rare vintage, marked by very low production but exceptional concentration in the grapes.

Winemaking and Ageing

While the precise details of the cellar work for this particular year have not yet been fully revealed, the Chablis 1er Cru "Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes" 2024 was tasted while still ageing, from barrel samples. Traditionally, for this cuvée, the estate favours vinification combining stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, followed by ageing on fine lees to preserve the purity of the fruit while adding complexity.

Grape Variety

This wine is made exclusively from Chardonnay (100%).