92pts Vinous

The 2016 Chablis Forêt 1er Cru is a little more tight-lipped on the nose compared to the Les Montmains, requiring more coaxing from the glass. That could be a sign of bottle shock. The palate is very promising with a crisp line of acidity, gentle grip and a live-wire, spicy finish that matches the exotic style of the vintage. This "warms up" in the glass and shows great potential, but may require your patience. 

92pts International Wine Cellar

The yield from these roughly 35-year-old vines was in the normal range of 45 to 50 hectoliters per hectare, according to Isabelle Raveneau): Pale yellow. Classic Chablis notes of citrus fruits, menthol and white flowers, with an attractive "cold" aspect that I did not find in the previous wines. Then gentle on the palate in spite of its freshness, offering flavors of soft citrus fruits, menthol and powdered stone. Not a particularly fruity style but pliant. Isabelle noted that these vines, like those in the family's Butteaux holding, are very healthy. 

91pts Burghound

Fresh and well-layered aromas combine notes of mineral reduction, lemon zest, pear and hints of petrol and iodine. Once again there is good volume to the slightly more vibrant medium-bodied flavors that possess more evident minerality as well that continues onto the precise finish that offers very fine depth and persistence. Note that this succulent effort should be approachable young if that's your preference. 

91pts Decanter

The Forêt is very pretty, opening in the glass with notes of apple, dried flowers and beeswax, framed by light reduction which should dissipate by bottling. The wine is glossy and textural, with good grip and concentration but without the electric minerality of Dauvissat’s rendition. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030. 

90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

From a parcel of younger vines, the 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Forêt offers up attractive aromas of lemon, green apple, oystershell and spring flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, glossy and pure, with racy acids, attractive purity and a delicately chalky finish. It's one of the most elegantly open-knit wines in the Raveneau cellar.

Winery Notes

Domaine Raveneau is a well-known domaine situated in the Chablis wine region of Burgundy. The domaine was established by François Raveneau in 1948. He combined vineyards which he had purchased himself with vineyards owned by the family of his wife (She was a member of the famous Dauvissat wine growers family.)

He expanded the estate by buying several plots of land, including parcels of Grands Crus vineyards, for a relatively low price during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Although the wines received very good critics in France, the domaine was not well known abroad.

This changed in the 1980’s when the wines were exported for the first time to the USA and finally received international recognition. François Raveneau retired in 1988 and died in 2000, but his son Jean-Marie Raveneau already started working at the domaine since 1978 and was assisted by his brother Bernard in 1995.

Currently Domaine Raveneau has 9.29 Ha of vineyards planted exclusively with the Chardonnay grapevine. The estate owns small plots of vineyards in 3 Grands Crus (“Les Clos” 0.54 Ha, “Blanchots” 0.60 Ha and “Valmur” 0.75 Ha) and 6 Premier Crus (“Butteaux 1.50 Ha, “Montée de Tonnèrre 3.20 Ha, “Les Chapelots” 0.30 Ha (now grubbed up), “La Forêt” 0.60 Ha, “Montmains” 0.35 Ha and “Les Vaillons” 0.50 Ha). They also purchased a 0.95 Ha vineyard of Chablis AC, with a first production in 2007.

All grapes are harvested by hand, which is rare in the Chablis region (Only 4 other producers still use this method) and no new oak barrels are used to produce the wines. Since the production is very limited, the wines from Domaine Raveneau are scarce and in very high demand. Furthermore, the wines require some additional bottle aging. Especially the Grands Crus are capable to age for at least 20 years or more.