Chablis Valmur 2004 75cl

The 2004 Chablis Valmur soars from the glass with a panoply of minerals and quartz. This wine possesses an intense inner core of minerals that are laced with salt, sea shells, and flint. Pure, concentrated, deep, and ethereal, it is gorgeously focused and immensely long in the finish. Projected maturity: 2007-2014.  The Raveneau brothers were in the process of bottling their 2004s when I visited the estate in late April, 2006. “This is a vintage of pleasure, the 2004s are simple wines, they do not have a powerful constitution,” said Bernard Raveneau, who concentrates on vineyard work and handles the vinifications. (His brother Francois deals with all the tractor work as well as the administrative issues.) He reiterated what I’d heard in all of Burgundy’s cellars, that the yields had gotten totally out of control during the rain-plagued month of August. “We harvested 70 hectoliters per hectare on average across the entire estate. We’ve never seen such a plethoric vintage!