Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 2019 750ml

The real secret to Raveneau’s quality is in the vineyards. During the 1960s and 1970s, François Raveneau—who died in 2019 and whose wife was a Dauvissat—assembled a domaine boasting one breathtaking parcel after another. Each is a tiny jewel, most no larger than a suburban house lot. In hectares: Les Clos is .5; Valmur .8; Blanchots .6; Chapelot .2; Vaillons .4; Montmains .4; and Forêts .4. Only Montée de Tonnerre and Butteaux are more than a hectare in size: 2.9 and 1.5, respectively. Raveneau’s premier crus are nearly as revered as its grands crus. In fact, some would argue that Montée de Tonnerre—from the same south-facing slope as the grand crus—is one of Chablis’ top dozen wines. And Chapelot—from a privileged section of Montée de Tonnerre—may be even better. Certainly, with its tiny production, it enjoys a devoted cult following.