Domaine Roland Lavantureux - Chablis Vau Renard 2023
The Domaine Roland Lavantureux is one of the reliable values of the Chablis region, located in Lignorelles, north of Chablis. This family estate, now run by Arnaud and David Lavantureux, has established itself through precise, intense wines deeply rooted in their terroir. The estate works a beautiful diversity of plots, from Petit Chablis to Premiers and Grands Crus, with a constant search for balance between freshness, maturity, and minerality. The 2023 Vau Renard fits into this dynamic with a particularly expressive Chablis cuvée, coming from a warm and well-exposed area. The Vau Renard valley connects the villages of Lignorelles and Villy, offering Chardonnay a more marked maturity than in some cooler sectors of the Chablis region. This south and southeast exposure gives the wine more structure, roundness, and aromatic intensity. The limestone subsoil still preserves the Chablis signature, with a straight, fresh, and chiseled finish.
The 2023 Chablis Vau Renard cuvée is made exclusively from Chardonnay, the emblematic grape variety of the appellation. The vines, planted in the 1980s, cover about 4.6 hectares and are pruned using the double guyot method. Their relatively warm location allows for ripe, expressive, and naturally balanced grapes. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve the finesse of the aromas, the precision of the fruit, and the freshness of the wine. The aging then lasts from 11 to 14 months, mainly in stainless steel tanks to maintain brightness and fruity character. A 25% portion is aged in several-used barrels, bringing complexity, depth, and a fuller texture without marking the wine with excessive oak. This work produces a very complete village Chablis, both accessible, precise, and more structured than a classic entry-level expression.
In the glass, Domaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis Vau Renard 2023 reveals a clear, bright robe with pale yellow reflections. The nose evokes ripe white fruits, apple, pear, lemon, and white flowers, with a slightly stony nuance. The palate opens smoothly, supported by ripe fruit and a very pleasant roundness sensation. The mid-palate gains density, then the limestone freshness takes over to stretch the finish with energy. The balance between fruit maturity, aging texture, and mineral tension gives a generous but perfectly controlled Chablis. This wine will pair very well with oysters, seafood, grilled fish, scallops, creamy poultry, gougères, or aged goat cheese. Serve around 10 to 12°C, in its youth for its brightness, or after a few years in the cellar to gain depth.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
