Coming as usual from the estate’s holdings in Beine and Prehy, the Laroche 2008 Chablis Saint Martin is scented with herbed, salted chicken stock and fresh lemon and lime; offers a bright, pungent palate presence; and finishes with a tinge of iodine adding to its mineral and animal dimensions. I would plan to enjoy it over the next 18-24 months.
The Languedoc negociant and multiple estate-owner Jean Jean has bought-out Michel Laroche’s domaine, but for now at least, Laroche and winemaker Denis de la Bourdonnaye remain, and the quality and style of their 2008s is entirely consistent with that of other recent vintages. Incidentally, Laroche – a pioneer in France with utilizing screwcap closures – has switched to a saranex liner that de la Bourdonnaye says is designed to and does mitigate tendencies toward reduction that he and his team (and occasionally I) have noted in some past cuvees. Given the Sauvignon-like aspects of many of the 2008s here, I had wondered (prior to learning of this closure change) about continued hints of reduction in a couple of instances here as well. The lees were stirred actively to promote textural richness, which indeed most of these wines impressively exhibit, and there was some light chaptalization of musts that for the most part came in closer to 12% than to 13% potential alcohol.
Importer: Canon Wines, Ltd., San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 394-6454
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