In the summer heat, it’s difficult to drink serious reds, so three of us got together to instead try some Chablis, checking in on the 2010 vintage. Part of the motivation was also to expose one of the party (Ryan) to what Chablis has to offer.
2010 was a real chablis vintage (ala 2007,08,14, and 17, and perhaps 12), as opposed to faux Chablis years (05,06,09,11,13, etc), meaning that it has enough of the classic characteristics to satisfy Chablis lovers of it’s Chablis-ness.
The wines were opened 2 hours ahead, and I double decanted the Dauvissat wines an hour before (the Forest didn’t need it, the Clos benefitted).
Raveneau ‘Monts Mains’–Richer, pure typical Raveneau style. Yellow apple with a dash of iodine. Despite the richness, not heavy, and nice lengthy acid crispness at the tail end.
V. Dauvissat ‘La Forest’–Plenty of body. Forward, atypically ripe apple for fruit–getting almost but not quite to the browned/baked apple characteristic of oxidation. Plenty of saline/acid on the lengthy palate. Seems like it likely was a strong bottle a couple of years ago, but because of the apple character, this particular bottle is now in the advanced category. Still very enjoyable albeit atypical.
Dauvissat-Camus ‘les Clos’– Classic, strong chablis, with lime/green apple, slight honey, saline. Remarkable length. As is usual, it doesn’t come out with all guns blazing, but just steadily grows on you as the night goes on. The other wines seemed to have more up-front weightiness at first, but the les Clos has this steely power that eventually just overcomes them all. I think this may still be a few years (3-5) from peak, whatever that is.