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  • Weather

    10° C Moderate rain
  • Time

    11:21 AM
  • Wine average?

    95 Tb
  • Country Ranking?

    104
  • Region Ranking?

    33
  • Popularity ranking?

    130

History

The most sublime and the most celebrated estate of Chablis, the wines of Domaine Raveneau are a rare find—exceptional because the vineyard holdings are almost entirely made of grand cru and premier cru fruit, painfully finite as so few are produced, outstanding because of their tremendous quality and consistency, and unusual given the modesty of the vignerons who create these world-class wines.

The domaine was created in 1948, when François Raveneau consolidated his holdings with his wife’s family’s vineyard parcels. Though his father had spent years selling off prime parcels, François was doing his best to bring new ones back into the hands of the domaine. The reputation of this elusive and somewhat stoic vigneron spread quickly, as his style was easily recognizable as far superior to the growing trend of innocuous, somewhat uniform Chardonnay.

The domaine’s production has always been miniscule, and Kermit fought in vain throughout the seventies to add these wines to his portfolio. As an ardent practitioner of natural wines, François was extremely skeptical about shipping overseas, fearing that the wines might suffer during the ocean voyage. Assured by friends that Kermit was very familiar with natural wines and only shipped in refrigerated containers, François finally agreed (see Adventures on the Wine Route). The relationship started with the 1979 vintage and has continued solidly ever since. Today, François’ sons, Bernard and Jean-Marie, direct the domaine, yet stay true to their father’s philosophy in both the vineyards and the cellar.

 

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Vineyards

The Raveneau name, and their trademark yellow wax capsule, is renowned for its consistency, artistry and longevity.

With only seven hectares (17.3 acres) of vineyards divided amongst five Premier and three Grand Cru sites, and with an annual production of approximately 3,000 cases, there never is enough Raveneau Chablis to satisfy the collectors, retailers and restaurants in the world who request them every year upon release.

Of the Premier Cru, Forêt is the baby of the family, with average vine age of 15 years; followed by Montmains, 20 years; Vaillons, 33 years; Butteaux, 45 years; Montée de Tonnerre, 50 years. The straight Chablis is a relative newcomer to the Raveneau stable, planted on a parcel behind Vaillons, only now in its sixth vintage in 2013.


Prized for their individuality and purity, the wines are racy and complex, with an underlying chalky backbone of acidity.

An artisanal, traditional thread runs through everything the Raveneau brothers, Jean-Marie and Bernard, do in their approach to winemaking. The Domaine is among the last in Chablis to hand harvest all their grapes, and they maintain strict yields that ensure consistency of quality at the highest level. 

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Winemaking

The Brothers Raveneau are a dream team. They carry the family torch with pride, yet with a reserve, pragmatism, and humility that is more likely found among true farmers than the artists they are. There is no set division of labor between the brothers, just “all hands on deck,” as each one brings his own expertise to the mix. Jean-Marie attended the Lycée Viticole in Beaune, and has been with the domaine since 1978. In 1995 when François retired, Bernard finally joined his brother at the domaine after years of working for a négociant.

Together, they farm nearly eight hectares of land, including three grand cru vineyards (Blanchot, Les Clos, and Valmur) and six premier crus (Montée de Tonnerre, Les Vaillons, Butteaux, Chapelot, Mont-Mains, and Forêt).  In a cool climate like Chablis, vines find their strength in the rich clay and chalky limestone of the Kimmeridgian chain.

 

From vine to glass, the Raveneaus continue to do things the old-fashioned way. Although François passed away in 2000, Bernard’s daughter, Isabelle, joins them today, assuring fans that Domaine Raveneau will continue into the next generation.

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Inside information

  • Area under vine: 7.5 hectares
  • The domaine was founded by Francois Raveneau in 1948 and he retired in 1988
  • Since mid 1980s, it run by his two sons Jean-Marie & Bernard Raveneau; Jean-Marie is more often found in the vineyard while Bernard is in the cellar
  • Isabelle Raveneau, Bernard’s daughter, is now working in the cellar full time in all aspects of winemaking and marketing Raveneau favours old oak which have an average age of 7 to 8 years
  • Producing Premier and Grand Cru wines exclusively until 2007 when they released the first vintage under the appellation of Chablis. 
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12 different wines with 96 vintages

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