Domain Raveneau Chablis Foret 1999
The 1999 Domaine Raveneau Chablis Forêt is a white Burgundy wine made from 100% Chardonnay, classified as Chablis Premier Cru. This parcel-specific cuvée comes from the lieu-dit Forêt, linked to the Monts Mains Premier Cru, where the estate farms 0.67 hectares situated at the bottom of the slope and sheltered from the wind. The soil here is described as less clayey than that of Butteaux. Forêt is usually distinguished by a tender, floral, delicate, and elegant expression.
Identité du vin
- Couleur
- White
- Pays
- France
- Région
- Bourgogne
- Appellation
- Chablis
- Producteur / Domaine
- Domaine Raveneau
- Parcelle / Cru
- Forêt
Cépage et assemblage
- Grape Variety
- 100% Chardonnay
Domaine Raveneau
Domaine François Raveneau is a family-run estate based in Chablis, in the Yonne department, dedicated to Chardonnay. It cultivates 10 hectares of vines, comprising plots classified as Chablis Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis. The third generation, represented by cousins Isabelle and Maxime Raveneau, now runs the estate.
- Owner
- Isabelle et Maxime Raveneau
- Maître de chais
- Isabelle Raveneau
- Surface (ha)
- 10.00 ha
- Production (average bottles per vintage)
- 45 000 bouteilles/an
Histoire du domaine
The estate traces its origins back to 1948, when François Raveneau married Andrée Dauvissat and brought together the vineyards of both families. At that time, the couple practised mixed farming, as did many families in Chablis. François Raveneau became the first member of his family to produce and bottle his own wines. In the 1960s and 1970s, the estate expanded, against a backdrop of technical advances that, in particular, provided better protection against spring frosts. François Raveneau then devoted himself entirely to viticulture and acquired plots of land, including some in the Chablis grands crus. His son Jean-Marie joined the estate in 1978 after completing his studies. Bernard Raveneau, after gaining experience in the Burgundian wine trade, in turn joined his brother in 1995, when François retired. Isabelle Raveneau joined the estate in 2010, followed by Maxime Raveneau in 2017. Isabelle and Maxime Raveneau now run the family estate; Isabelle is responsible for winemaking, within an organisation where family members also help with work in the cellar and the vineyards. The estate vinifies grapes from its own vineyards and harvests them by hand; the wines are aged in barrels before bottling.
Forêt
The official name of the climat is "Forêts", although some producers use "Forêt" on their labels. Located on the left bank of the Serein river, in the commune of Chablis, it is one of the three climats grouped under the umbrella climat Montmains, along with Montmains and Butteaux. Its southeast exposure favors sunshine; the lower part of the slope is relatively flat while the upper part is steep. Contrary to the provided context, Forêts is officially classified as Chablis Premier Cru and not Grand Cru.
- Vineyard commune
- Chablis
- Origin of the vineyard name
- The name recalls the forest that once covered the climat before it was cleared. The form "forest" is recorded as early as 1367.
- Exposure
- Southeast
- Slope
- Lower slope rather flat; upper part steep
- Soil
- Stony and clayey surface soils, poor and lean
- Subsoil and geology
- Shallow Kimmeridgian marly slab, rich in oyster fossils
Le domaine dans cette parcelle
- Estate holding in the vineyard (ha)
- 0.670000 ha
- Indicative vine age
- Vines planted two-thirds in the early 1990s and one-third in the early 2000s.
Histoire de la parcelle
A forest once occupied the site before it was cleared and planted with vines. The old spelling "forest" is attested in 1367, by which time the vine had already replaced the forest. Forêts is among the climat or lieu-dit names classified as premier cru since the decree of January 13, 1938; its regulatory origin corresponds to the cadastral lieu-dit Les Forêts, section E2 of Chablis.
