In Chablis 2 producers are legendary: Raveneau and Dauvissat, we tried a 1992 La Forest from the latter.
Its color is beautiful and sparkly golden, the color of freshly harvested straw.
Although the wine is perfectly chilled to drinking temperature it still releases dense, concentrated aroma’s. It’s mostly the bakery in the forefront here with lovely buttered toast and roasted hazelnuts, smelling like Tarte Brésilienne freshly out of the oven. There’s plenty of fruit as well: sweet ripe apple and Doyenne pears combined with a touch of honey and bees wax and a light woody, resiny undertone as well. Calling it complex will merit you the “understatement of the year” award.
It’s simply unbelievable how well this wine has kept its class and balance for over 20 years: on the palate it’s full bodied, woody and fat with lots of crisp acidity keeping it fresh and very much alive. It has tremendous length and has a rounded feel, a great combination of wood and minerality managing not being too heavy nor flat and finishing with a juicy, mouthwatering lusciousness. For a chardonnay that’s more than 2 decades old, this wine is surprisingly masculine, exceptionally powerful and quite simply: outstanding.
Dc
