2017 Pierrick Laroche des Hâtes Les Châtillons Chablis Organic, Burgundy

'The les Châtillons bottling hails from a one hectare parcel of vines that Monsieur Laroche owns in the commune of Fontenay, where the soils are more chalky than in his other, more heavily clay-based villages parcels, so Pierrick bottles this wine on its own. Fifteen percent of the cuvée is raised in older oak casks and demi-muids, which is then assembled with the portion raised in stainless steel, and the wine is given a full year and a half of elevage prior to bottling. The 2017 les Châtillons is really a lovely wine, with the nervosité of the 2017 vintage beautifully synthesized to the limestone character of these parcels. The bouquet offers up a bright and youthful blend of lemon, green apple, a superb base of chalky minerality, spring flowers and a bit of citrus zest. On the palate the wine is fullish, focused and racy, with good mid-palate depth, excellent mineral drive and a long, zesty and complex finish. This does not have the early generosity of the 2018 straight villages bottling, but it is inherently more complex and mineral and will be the slightly superior bottle with a bit of cellaring. Drink 2021-2035.’

90+ points, John Gilman, View from the Cellar, August 2020.