Domaine Francois Raveneau 

Some of the most celebrated and exceptional wine in all of Chablis, Domaine Raveneau is true Chablis royalty. This relatively small holding of only 8 hectares consists of villages, premier cru and grand cru vines, produces wines of consistent and enviable quality.

All grapes are harvested by hand - one of the few remaining domaines to do so. Pi...

Some of the most celebrated and exceptional wine in all of Chablis, Domaine Raveneau is true Chablis royalty. This relatively small holding of only 8 hectares consists of villages, premier cru and grand cru vines, produces wines of consistent and enviable quality.

All grapes are harvested by hand - one of the few remaining domaines to do so. Picked early to preserve their acidity, the fruits of their labours are handled with the care of a perfectionist from fermentation to bottling. Yields are kept very low. Acidity is maintained in their wine-making process by minimising the use of oak, choosing stainless steel tanks over barrels for fermentation. Ageing is done in large oak casks that are 8 years old, to minimise the impact of wood. 

Their yearly production is absolutely minuscule - and doesn’t spread much further than the Great Domaines cellar. Francois, advocating the principles of natural wine-making, was hesitant about sending his wine outside the French border for fear his precious children might be damaged in transit.

Francois passed away in 2000, but his legacy lives on in the hands of his sons, Bernard and Jean-Marie. Their father’s old-fashioned approach remains, ensuring that their wines retain their textured minerality and rich fruit. Don’t discount their age-worthiness either - after five to ten years they truly start hitting their straps.