Domaine Laroche : Chablis 1er cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2004

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the Chablis Premier Cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2004 from Domaine Laroche

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a pale gold hue with bright highlights, reflecting its evolution after more than two decades in bottle.

Nose

The nose reveals elegant aromas of white flowers and white-fleshed fruit, enhanced by mineral notes characteristic of the Kimmeridgian terroir. Hints of gunflint and chalk lend the whole an austere yet refined dimension.

Palate

On the palate, this Chablis Premier Cru stands out for its flavorful structure and remarkable balance. The vibrant acidity, a hallmark of the 2004 vintage, supports a generous substance from the climat Fourchaumes. White-fruit notes linger through to a long, harmonious finish, marked by a distinctive mineral freshness.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Chablis Premier Cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2004 pairs perfectly with a lobster salad with lemon and cilantro. It also matches elegantly with seafood platters, choice shellfish such as langoustines and velvet crabs, as well as delicate fish baked or steamed.

Serving and Cellaring

The Chablis Premier Cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2004 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. After more than twenty years of evolution, this wine is at its optimal stage of maturity and deserves to be enjoyed over the coming years to fully appreciate its aromatic complexity.

A Chablis Premier Cru from Burgundy with a generous character and elegant minerality

The estate

Founded in 1850, Domaine Laroche is one of the most influential houses in the Chablis appellation. With around 90 hectares of heritage vineyards spread across the finest terroirs of the appellation, the estate offers a remarkable representation of Chablis climats. Since 2010, Domaine Laroche has belonged to the AdVini group, led by Antoine Leccia. The property perpetuates a thousand-year heritage linked to the Obédiencerie, a former 9th-century monastery whose historic cellars still house the aging of the most prestigious wines today. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3 since 2016, the estate distributes its wines in 90 countries worldwide.

The vineyard

The climat des Fourchaumes is among the most prestigious terroirs of the Chablis Premier Cru appellation. Located on the right bank of the Serein, this climat covers 103 hectares, of which Domaine Laroche owns 2.44 hectares. Benefiting from a particularly favorable west and southwest exposure, the vineyard lies on deep brown clay soils and a subsoil of Kimmeridgian marls rich in limestone with exogyra virgula. The 70-year-old vines, low-yielding yet of outstanding quality, draw their resources from deep down, giving the wine complexity and concentration. The climat Fourchaumes stands out for its distinctly generous character, producing aromatic, fruit-forward wines with remarkable aging potential.

The vintage

The 2004 vintage in Burgundy is defined by a climatic profile shaped by the vineyard’s recovery after the 2003 heatwave. After a mediocre August, a fine September allowed the grapes to reach sound ripeness while retaining lovely, fine acidity. Winegrowers had to actively manage the vine’s natural tendency toward higher yields to maintain balance and grape quality. Favorable late-summer conditions in September produced elegant wines with a balanced structure and excellent aging potential, particularly in parcels benefiting from privileged exposures such as those of the climat Fourchaumes.

Winemaking and aging

The Chablis Premier Cru "Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes" 2004 benefits from meticulous winemaking that respects the estate’s traditions. Aging is carried out partly in French oak barrels, bringing buttery and hazelnut notes that complement the natural minerality of the Kimmeridgian terroir. This aging method preserves Chablis’ hallmark freshness while developing the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.