2022 Pierrick Laroche des Hates Les Chatillons Chablis Organic, Burgundy

The 2022 Pierrick Laroche Domaine des Hâtes Les Chatillons Chablis Organic is a beautifully expressive Chardonnay from one of Chablis’ rising stars. Pierrick Laroche, who founded Domaine des Hâtes in 2010 after inheriting his family vineyards, has quickly gained acclaim for producing wines of clarity, mineral precision and site-driven character. His move to certified organic farming underscores his philosophy of minimal intervention and respect for terroir.

Les Chatillons is a single-vineyard site on classic Kimmeridgian limestone soils rich in marine fossils. This terroir, combined with the cool Chablis climate, brings intensity, tension and the saline edge that defines great Chablis. The 2022 vintage was generous and balanced, yielding fruit with excellent ripeness but still carrying the bright acidity essential for age-worthy wines. Winemaking here is kept deliberately restrained: fermentation in stainless steel, with some ageing on fine lees to build texture without compromising freshness.

In the glass it is pale gold with green highlights. The bouquet is precise and complex, showing lemon zest, green apple and pear layered with white flowers, crushed shell, chalk and a touch of flint. On the palate it is medium-bodied, energetic and mineral-driven, with citrus and orchard fruits framed by crisp acidity and a long, saline finish. A subtle leesy creaminess rounds out the wine, giving both texture and length.

Food pairings highlight its tension and minerality: oysters, grilled scallops with lemon butter, sushi and sashimi, or vegetarian options such as asparagus risotto, zucchini flowers or goat’s cheese salad. While immediately appealing, it has the structure to age gracefully for 6 to 10 years, developing notes of honey, hazelnut and truffle while retaining its mineral backbone.