The 2012 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru is the product of an incredibly challenging year in which yields were reduced by a whopping 40-50%. Frost in the spring, poor flowering, hail in July and blistering heat in August kept vignerons in Chablis busy in 2012. The result is wines that are dense, powerful and yet full of energy. That is exactly what comes through in Raveneau’s 2012 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru, a wine that perfectly captures the personality of the year and site, albeit with all those qualities turned up to eleven. Even with all of its natural intensity, the 2012 retains striking translucence. If anything, the 2012 is still very young. Readers who can cellar it for a few more years are in for a treat. Lastly, I am not a huge fan of decanting reds, as I think much of the magic is lost to the air, but I feel exactly the opposite about whites of this level. I suggest opening the 2012 (and any top Chablis) at least a few hours in advance. I loved the 2012 from barrel and then in bottle. Now, several years after my first reviews, I am every bit as enamored with the 2012 Blanchot as I was back then.

Pale bright yellow-green. Captivating aromas of lime blossom, licorice and white pepper, complicated by a whiff of petrol. Sweet, plush, rich and deep; a step up in texture from the premier crus but with lovely lemony acidity keeping it firm. Finishes long and bright, with enticing high notes of lemon zest and flowers. Bernard Raveneau noted that allowing these wines to settle in tank for two months prior to the bottling enables the Raveneaus to cut their levels of free sulfur to 25 to 30 grams per liter and not dry out the wines during the bottling process.

-- Stephen Tanzer

– vinous.com, Jul 2014

This offers a nose that is classic Blanchot with its elegant and ultra-pure array of white flower, pear, mineral reduction and ocean breeze scents. There is simply terrific intensity to the especially rich and mouth coating flavors that brim with dry extract before culminating in a driving yet refined finish of impeccably good balance. Note that this is more saline than I typically find it. Drink 2020+. - October 2013