Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Chablis Fest
Shaw's Crab House - Chicago, IL
Tasted August 27, 2014 by tooch with 605 views
Introduction
A bunch of out-of-towners were in Chicago and we thought that opening up some Chablis would be fun. The theme expanded a bit to include a flight of non-Chablis White Burgundy and a flight of Champagne. Only 2 off bottles in the bunch...not all that bad.
Dauvissat >>>> Raveneau on this night.
Flight 1 - BRACKET 1 - CHAMPAGNE (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
94 points
Another great bottle of this. Biscuity, truffle-y, with beautiful aromas of apples/pears/slate. The palate had a nice creamy note to it with with lots of lemons, limes, mushrooms, and floral notes. Delicious wine that I want to drink more of!
White - Sparkling
2004 Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Special Club Blanc de Blancs
93 points
A really impressive, young, champagne. Tons of power, with lots of energy and lime flavors. The palate took some time to open up, but when it did the lemons and limes really began to expand. Incredibly young, but already showing signs of greatness.
Flight 2 - BRACKET 2 - RAVENEAU PREMIER CRU 1999 (3 notes)
White
1999 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
92 points
A very elegant Raveneau that was akin to drinking crisp lemony mineral water. Loved the waxy lemony character with the dense minerality and salty limes. This was in a really great spot.
White
1999 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
81 points
Not a flawed bottle, but the oak was really weird here. All this had was lots of lemony oak. Disappointing and strange.
Flight 3 - BRACKET 3 - DAVUISSAT (3 notes)
White
2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
92 points
Lots of firm citrus notes with great minerality and florals. Loved the tenseness of the palate and the richness of the fruits. Lots of lime...I liked that a lot...gave it a bit more acidic spine.
White
2002 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest
94 points
Hell yeah. Beautiful stuff that still has much of the freshness of youth with a bit of its secondary characteristics too. Flinty, with lots of lemons and lime. A very floral wine too with a streamlined, cool fruit profile that was awesome with some shellfish.
White
2002 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
94 points
From 375ml. Just a small taste, but there was a lot of greatness here...tons of rich citrus, sea breeze tones, lime zest, and white blossoms. Awesome.
Flight 4 - BRACKET 4 - DAUVISSAT/RAVENEAU GRAND CRU (4 notes)
White
2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
89 points
This was more of what I expected from the 2005 vintage. This didn't have the level of precision that the other vintages of this wine can have, and I think the some of the flavors were a bit rounder and fatter that what I typically look for. Not a bad wine, at all, just a bit riper.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White
2001 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
95 points
Loved the power and edgy palate to this wine. Tons of lime, salt, lemons, and flint. Tons of depth and complexity...thought this was one of the better wines of the night.
White
2001 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot
95 points
Up there for WOTN, and on a whole different level from the other Raveneau's this evening. Tons of depth with exotic salinity, melon, limes, and lemon tones. Just dazzling balance and purity to the palate...this is one of those wines that is completely singular and intoxicating.
Flight 5 - BRACKET 5 - ODDS AND ENDS (6 notes)
White
2007 Arnaud Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts
92 points
This was my first time trying this producer. A big and rich styled Puligny with lots of lime, orange, and lemon tones. It had really nice balance on the palate - despite its weight, it never felt slick or too blowsy. I'm interested to try more of this...
White
2005 Philippe Colin Chevalier-Montrachet
92 points
Big and powerful with lots of flinty lemons, lime, and florals. The citrus notes had a real depth to them on the palate - needs time to become more elegant.
White
2007 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet
95 points
A "wow" wine. Just incredible depth and layered flavors and aromas here. What also made it exciting was how quickly the wine shifted gears. At times it was elegant with wisps of lemons/limes and florals, while at other times the gunsmoke took over making it richer and fuller. So good.
White
1985 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
92 points
This had aged very nicely. Lots of cool citrus fruit, wet slate, melon, and lanolin. The aged personality of the wine shown through and delivered some of those Chenin Blanc type qualities like wet wool, vanilla, and melon. It had a nice acidity on the finish too...gave it some nice energy.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1975 Château Suduiraut
92 points
A lot to like here. Loved the pineapple and coconut flavors - very dense tropical fruit profile. Nice acidity and good depth.
Red
2011 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard
A lot like the last time I tasted this. Definitely a cooler fruit profile with some blackberries, charcoal, cranberries, and earth. I still think this is the Dana Estates vineyard I enjoy the most.
Closing
It was great seeing Amy, Jeremiah, Jason, and Tm (in addition to the Chicago people)! Thanks to the team at Shaw's for taking care of us too.