Domaine des Hâtes

Born and bred in Chablis, Pierrick Laroche is one of the region’s rising stars. His family were farmers, but mainly of grains rather than grapes – selling the little fruit they did produce to the local co-op. From 1985, Pierrick’s father started expanding the vineyard area, but it was only when Pierrick returned with his winemaking degree and several harvests abroad under his belt that the family started making their own wine.

Pierrick produced the family’s first commercial vintage in 2010, a mere 2,300 bottles, but they rapidly earned him praise from the critics. He is focusing on sustainable practices in the vineyard, with herbicides and pesticides no longer used, and has overseen the construction of a gravity-fed winery in Maligny. Today, Domaine des Hâtes consists of 28 hectares, divided between Petit Chablis, Chablis and some Premier Cru sites (Butteaux and Fourchaume l’Homme Mort).

Historically the family largely owned village sites, so Pierrick also buys in fruit from several other sites, including his lone Grand Cru bottling, Bougros. Whether domaine or négociant, the wines are made with the same scrupulous attention to detail, with a focus on vibrancy and minerality.

The winemaking here is classical, with indigenous yeast and stainless steel dominating élevage (with a small proportion of old oak used judiciously on the Premiers and Grands Crus). The wines spend a long time on lees, to build weight and texture – and the results are extremely impressive. The wines have a lovely mineral core, energetic and vivacious with real textural complexity. Today production sits at around 8,000 cases a year.