Saint Martin 2016 Domaine Laroche: the Best Chablis Under 30 Euros?

The Chablis Saint Martin 2016 Domaine Laroche is a typical Chardonnay from the north of France, very different from the classic Burgundian ones from the south, sharper and sharper, but with depth and elegance.

Let’s not forget that Chablis, while technically Burgundy, is closer to the Champagne region than to Beaune.

It is a great wine, very fresh, with a splendid savory length, bright aromas, and a refined taste, but don’t expect a buttery and opulent Chardonnay au contraire.

This is sharp and all played on subtlety. It only ages in steel, but this does not mean that it cannot aspire to a nice evolution with a few more years.

It is already excellent, but obviously, this is a wine rich in substance and pulp, so you can also leave it in the cellar for 5-6 years quietly.

As you know, the best Chardonnays of this area reach their natural maturation only at the age of 10.

As expected, the processing is impeccable from a great Chablis winery such as the Domaine Laroche: manual harvest, careful selection of the grapes at the table, and then vinification in steel, where it rests for 6 months.

The glacial winter, the temperature range, and the soils rich in clays, limestone, and marine fossils accentuate the acidity, minerality, and aromatic richness, but also the rockiness of the wine. However, hot summers allow for excellent ripening of the grapes.

If you are looking for the sharpest and most contemptuous Chardonnays, Chablis is the area for you, and this Chablis Saint Martin 2016 Domaine Laroche is an excellent example of typicality.

The bouquet

Rock and citrus, flowers, yellow fruit, and more chalk. The rhythm is subtle, intense, saline, reminiscent of the sea and freshly picked flowers. It is splendid for its purity of expression and pride. There are no mushy notes or redundant scents: complex and pure. Great variety and exemplary cleanliness.

The taste

Salty mouth, carved in plaster, showing a lot of pulp and depth. He moves elegantly between rose and lime petals, stings on the tongue for flavor, but is never rude.

Of course, the balance is not yet optimal. It is just born. The hard notes are predominant and certainly do not hide. Adherence to the terroir from 10 and praise. Floral finish of great persistence. Drink it now if you want a marine wine for fish and oysters. Otherwise, leave it in the cellar for 10 years.

Price of the Chablis Saint Martin 2016 Domaine Laroche

28-30 euros: money well spent for an excellent white wine.

Chablis Saint Martin 2016 Domaine Laroche Food Pairings

Obviously oysters, fish appetizers, and clams, but it is also excellent for cutting the sweetness of shellfish or elevating white meats like duck and chicken.

Recommended dishes: falafel, parmigiana ravioli, spaghetti with clams, chicken tikka masala, Chicken Cacciatore, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.