DOMAINE LAROCHE CHABLIS
BURGUNDY, FRANCE 2024
WHY BUY: This collection of mind-bending Chablis from the master, Domaine Laroche, includes two bottles at prices that are almost too good to believe (less than $100 for a pair of exceptional Premier Cru Chablis?) and two that are exquisite Grands Crus (including a rare 96-pointer that Tim Atkin called “deftly wooded” and with a “fresh, mineral-etched finish”).
The latter are subjected to a multi-round blind tasting of experts before being shared with the public, and are among the most highly-covered collectors items in all the world of white wine. All four bottles were born of legendary Kimmeridgian soil, tended in one-man plots (yes, a single member of the Laroche team oversees each one) that constitute some of the most prestigious holdings in the entirety of Chablis, and matured in an historic, 9th century former monastery. Pedigree, precision, and a pet-like care for the details: it all adds up to wines of rare craft and distinction, the kind that give you the feeling that there truly is such a thing in the world as magic.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Decanter awarded 96 points to La Réserve de l'Obédiencerie 2018, with Tim Atkin praising its “deftly wooded” character and “fresh, mineral-etched finish”; that high score is both an accomplishment and a rare bit of acknowledgment from a critical establishment that has historically tended to underrate even the finest white wines. The publication weighed in, too, on the Grand Cru Les Blanchots 2024, hailing its “enticing aroma of lime, green apple and ripe pear,” its “delicate” texture, and the underlying substance that keeps it “lively on the palate.”
OUR TASTING NOTES: All four wines resound with crisp, clean minerality, and exude a sharpness that somehow never edges toward austerity. The two Premier Crus, Les Vaudevey and Les Fourchaumes, deliver that signature Laroche purity at its most immediate and, we think, its most appealing, all bright orchard fruit, cut-glass acidity, and a stony backbone that speaks unmistakably of place. The Grands Crus operate on another level entirely. Les Blanchots is a wine of extraordinary finesse and lift, the kind of wine that seems weightless until you notice how long it lingers. But La Réserve de l'Obédiencerie is the prize. Named after Laroche's medieval head office and sourced from the finest lots of the Blanchots holdings, it opens with a nearly perfect nose of juicy orchard fruit and flint, then leads you — leisurely, never even a little bit in a hurry — toward a creamy, infinitely layered palate that stays with you long, long after the last sip.
THE STORY: The Laroche legacy in Chablis began nearly two centuries ago, in 1850, when Jean Victor Laroche bought his first vineyard parcels. But the estate as we know it today is the work of Michel Laroche, who at the improbably tender age of 17 took the controls of the estate and promptly set about proving that Chablis belonged in the top rank of the world's white wines. He expanded thoughtfully, privileging quality over quantity, and in 1985 acquired L’Obédiencerie, a former monastery where monks first made Chablis wines back in the 9th century, and which now houses Laroche's cellars. Michel's influence reached well beyond his own domaine. In 2000, he founded the Union des Grands Crus de Chablis, implementing quality controls that have shaped the entire region's standards. A year later, in a move that raised eyebrows all across Burgundy, he became the first producer in the region to adopt screwcap closures (yes, even for his Grand Cru wines), all in the name of preserving purity and minerality. That, in a nutshell, is the Laroche story, which, for longer than most republics have existed, has toggled between challenging authority and upholding tradition.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: The Premier Crus are ideal partners for oysters on the half shell, or a plate of thin-sliced jamón, or a simply grilled sole. With the Grands Crus, you’re going to want richer, more contemplative company: a lobster with drawn butter, a creamy scallop risotto, a luscious cacio e pepe.
FUN FACT: Chablis's finest vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian soil, a mixture of clay, chalk, and fossilized oyster shells. That foundation was laid approximately 150 million years ago, when the entire region sat beneath a warm, shallow sea. So when you catch a whisper of the saline and the marine on the palate, think back to that ancient seabed.
OUR GUARANTEE: As always, we only source directly from the producer to ensure that your bottles arrive as they should: with pristine provenance guaranteed
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec.21st - Mar. 20th, 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in IL, KS, KY, MI, MO, NY, OK, or TN. This offer is valid for TWO WEEKS, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026.