Not only does the Raveneau family own many of the finest sites in the appellation, but their wines have a steely magnificence that captures the essence of Chablis’ distinctive terroir. The greatness of Raveneau’s Chablis has even led some to suggest they deserve an appellation of their own.
Raveneau wines are famous for their longevity. In fact, many believe that a top Raveneau Chablis doesn’t hit its stride until it’s at least 8 to 10 years old. At this time, the wines not only acquire even greater richness, but layer upon layer of previously hidden flavors are revealed.
Along with René and Vincent Dauvissat, Raveneau pioneered the use of Côte d’Or winemaking in Chablis, including barrel fermentation and extended lees contact.
92-95 Points Allen Meadows
This is even more elegant and more refined still with its strikingly layered nose that once again is cool, pure and airy with its floral-suffused nose that possesses a plethora of classic Chablis scents. There is an absolutely gorgeous mouth feel to the medium-bodied flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the explosively long, saline and impeccably well-balanced finale. 2014 is potentially a genuinely great vintage for the Raveneau Montée de Tonnerre, which as fans of this wine will immediately understand, is really saying something.
96 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre has a complex bouquet with hints of white chocolate and grilled almond interwoven between the citrus fruit. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity, quite tensile from the beginning, with a compelling salinity on the finish that fans out with gusto. This is a Montée de Tonnerre cruising at Grand Cru altitude. This may well represent the finest Chablis that I have ever encountered from Montée de Tonnerre. Isabelle Raveneau was in fine form when I rang the doorbell of the most renowned grower in Chablis. This being just after the Brexit and the following morning from the English football team’s embarrassing defeat to Iceland in Euro 2016, Isabelle did not know which subject to broach first–though I detected a morsel of sympathy between stifling her laughs. Although my own country has a mountain of problems, so has Isabelle, the only difference being that hers are not self-inflicted. With the slew of frost damage, hailstorms and at the time of tasting, omnipresent risk of mildew after what has been a wet period, like everyone else Raveneau is not spared the challenges of the 2016 growing season. But today, I was here to taste through the 2014s now in bottle and the 2015s from barrel.