Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes)

Located in the north-west sector of Chablis in the village of Maligny, Pierrick Laroche now runs this family estate which was established by his father in the 1970s. His father gradually gained planting rights and slowly added to the family vineyard holdings over time. Today the current size of the estate is around 33 hectares. In 2010 Pierrick produced his first vintage to great acclaim (his father had previously sold the grapes to La Chablisienne).

Pierrick has a degree in oenology from Beaune and after graduating he travelled the world, doing various internships to gain experience before returning home to start making wine and take over the family vineyards for himself.

His cellars are built into the side of a hill in the village enabling much of the work to be done by gravity. Vinifications are done classically in stainless steel tanks with some of the Premier and Grand Cru wines aged in used barrels for a small portion of each cuvée where the wines undergo full malolactic. His oldest plot of vines is Les Châtillons, which was planted in early 1970s and is located just behind the hill of Grand Crus. This cuvée also has a small portion of barrel ageing, employed to great effect (as he does for his 1er cru wines).

Beginning with vintage 2016, Pierrick began a tiny négoce operation to augment his range, buying must from friends farming predominately on the left side of the river. These wines now include the premier crus of Beauroy, Beauregard, and Vau de Vey, along with the grand cru of Bougros. In 2019, Pierrick inherited 8 acres of vines from his father-in-law in the southern sector of Chablis around the village of Courgis. This includes Petit Chablis, 5.5 acres of Chablis, and just over half an acre of the premier cru Les Butteaux.

THE WINES

Pierrick on 2022:
‘In 2022 we made the volume and in some parts with VCI too – hardly anything plus though – I like the quality – a bit of 2020 style – we had more concentration in 2019, I think.’

2022 Petit Chablis Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes) - stelvin closure
The domain has nearly 12ha of Petit Chablis, classified as such because the limestone tends to be the younger Portlandian rather than the older Kimmeridgian, and as such typically occupies higher sites (Portlandian overlies Kimmeridgian) and has less clay. Pierrick is convinced that his largest parcel of Petit really ought to be classed as Chablis; it makes wine like Chablis and indeed is surrounded by AOC Chablis vines.
Only Maligny – 2 terroirs – a plateau that has a lot of clay – like in Lignorelles – plus limestone slopes, south, south-east-facing – here it’s more mineral. But the parcels are quite close to each other. About 20-year-old vines. This cuvée is from 12 hectares so easily the biggest cuvée here – ‘it has to be good!’. Open with plenty of higher toned freshness. Concentrated and silky – there’s a lot of wine here – supple, hiding to an extent its minerality, but only partly. Finishing mineral and precise. I’d be waiting a couple of years for it to grow a bit more focus – but then it could be a great one – really the concentration of a very good Chablis. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis AC Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes) - stelvin closure
As with the Petit Chablis, the domain has nearly 12ha planted in the Chablis classification, all of it (like the Petit) planted in the Maligny commune except for 1ha in the little valley of Fontenay heading toward the Grand Crus. He has eight parcels ranked Chablis, and the average age of the vines is 30 years.
Also only from Maligny here. A more concentrated, more visible width of ripe yellow citrus. Cooler entry more direct wine, the minerality more visible but also silky with a mm or two of cushion. So mouth-watering, almost juicy in the end. Already more classic than the Petit Chablis – that’s excellent wine – the finish is so long. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, Jan. 2024.

2022 Chablis Les Châtillons Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes) - DIAM closure
Les Châtillons is located in the valley of Fontenay, to the southeast of Maligny and is the most calcareous of Pierrick’s eight Villages sites. Pierrick’s parcel was planted in early 1970’s and makes for an elegant, long, especially mineral wine and for that reason he bottles it separately. Roughly 15% is aged in wood (both barriques and demi-muids) and this is blended with the steel-aged remainder.
Not made in 2020 – a plateau (below the PC) that’s got a lot of limestone – above Homme Mort – 50-year-old vines – the oldest parcel of the domaine – a part (50%) 600-litre barrel elevage. Less impact and more airy aromas. More direct again and clearly more mineral and incisive – the most classic of all so far. A hint of barrel – so wait another year or two before drinking but this is a properly great villages. The finish just so persistent. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey Pierrick Laroche (Maison des Hâtes) - DIAM closure
Because of its south and east exposure, Vau de Vey only gets the morning sun. It thus qualifies as a cool Climat, even more so due to the north wind that rushes into the valley. And the wines reflect this through their restraint, crispness and purity. Here there is a particularly thick layer of Kimmeridgian marl in the subsoil, while the extremely steep hillsides make machine access almost impossible in some places! Pierrick’s Vau de Vey sees 15 months elevage in used barrels.
‘Beauroy has the sun – this has the cold’. More floral, another level of aromatic attractiveness. Cool, broad, almost juicy yellow fruit – I really enjoy the slightly more fluid style to the delivery of flavour here. There’s a fine burst of finishing salinity too – just an ultra-delicious wine. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy Pierrick Laroche (Maison des Hâtes) - DIAM closure
Located opposite the famed 1er cru Fourchaume, Beauroy has a more varied exposition with the parcel that Pierrick works being located in the favoured lieu-dit of Cote de Savant, above the small lake beside the village of Biene, which enjoys a cooler south-east exposure. Vinified in stainless steel with 25% matured in older oak barrels. This cuvee always shows well when young with lovely finesse and detail with excellent balance and freshness. We can never get enough of this excellent 1er cru Chablis.
Bought in must, again with 50% barrel elevage with a majority of 600-litre barrels. Not a large nose but an attractively perfumed one. Clean, incisive flavour – that’s so good! The barrel very modestly in the background. Fine finishing waves of flavour – what a delicious wine and certainly a small step up again from the Chatillons! Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis 1er Cru ‘Butteaux’ Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes) - DIAM closure
Butteaux is one of the ‘climats’ of Premier cru Montmains which is regarded as one of the top Premier cru vineyard sites in Chablis lying beside or below Vaillons. Being one of the most southern locations for 1er cru in Chablis it is regarded as a cooler site with slightly later harvest. Here there is a very thin layer of clay which overlays the Kimmeridgian marls.
Nearly 3 hectares extra. This is the first part of Butteaux as you leave Chablis next to Forets… Younger vines planted by father-in-law after some court-noué and it seems to be returning – 12-15 hl/ha in 2022. All barrel elevage again. A more subtle nose – quite direct though. Really a panoramic width of flavour here – silken, a little more apparent concentration/generosity – large-scale wine. Simply delicious but today I’d take the more linear l’Homme Mort. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume ‘l'Homme Mort’ Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes)
The domain farms 1.1 ha in this subsection of Fourchaume which is located towards the northern part of Fourchaume, a top Premier Cru vineyard noted for growing on similar contours as the Grand Crus above the right bank of the Serein. Pierrick's vines average 25 years with some up to 35 years old. Vinified with indigenous yeast with a very long slow alcoholic fermentation of 2-3 months. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 60% and in aged barrels for 40% with bottling in spring for a total elevage of 18 months giving a wine of excellent complexity and depth.
Back to domaine wines – a bit more than a hectare of vines. A mix of tank and barrel – 60% tank. Protected by aspersion here. Direct, floral, beautifully precise – that’s super! Hmm, so melting and silky, just a gorgeous wine here finishing more linear and always completely delicious – that’s a great 2022! Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

2022 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Pierrick Laroche (Maison des Hâtes)
Bougros is the last Grand Cru on the western side of the hill and enjoys a south to south-westerly exposition. Pierrick’s parcel comes from the western end of Bougros, towards the top of the hill where the slope is only about 5 %. Vinified in stainless steel, it was matured for 8 months in one barrique and one old 500 litre barrel, adding an extra dimension of complexity to complement the profoundly concentrated fruit from this exceptional site. An outstanding Grand Cru.
Back to a contract, one barrel and one demi-muid for elevage. Candle protection used here, just above the section that uses the aspersion. Hmm, that’s not powerful but it is beautifully inviting. Larger scale – of course! A wine of generous concentration but always juicily melting with flavour at the edges. Clearly the most complex and changing, long finish. Simply excellent grand cru. Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, January 2024.

Pierrick on 2021:
‘In terms of ripeness there was maybe a bit of blocking in 2021 – sometimes you thought the grapes ready but the sugar had been concentrated rather than seeing a full ripeness. The weather at flowering was pretty good – better was possible but it was pretty good. The syndicate allowed us to chaptalize up to 2° but I didn’t go much above 1° – the grapes were nicely golden when it came to harvesting it’s just that with the summer that we had they weren’t full of sugar! I think the wines have some resemblance to 2017 and I think the 17s better but the style is in that kind of direction. All has been reserved here for a long time – not all has left the warehouse yet – but close – everyone got an allocation of 30% of normal! And there’s nothing in terms of packaging that hasn’t increased in price by less than 35% in the last year – it’s another €1.50 per bottle without us doing anything.’ Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, February 2022.

2021 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume ‘l'Homme Mort’ Pierrick Laroche (Domaine des Hâtes)
The domain farms 1.1 ha in this subsection of Fourchaume which is located towards the northern part of Fourchaume, a top Premier Cru vineyard noted for growing on similar contours as the Grand Crus above the right bank of the Serein. Pierrick's vines average 25 years with some up to 35 years old. Vinified with indigenous yeast with a very long slow alcoholic fermentation of 2-3 months. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 60% and in aged barrels for 40% with bottling in spring for a total elevage of 18 months giving a wine of excellent complexity and depth.

‘A mix of tank and barrel – 60% tank. Protected by aspersion here. A broader, more open aromatic – slightly airy – greatly inviting! Extra width, cooler fruit, mineral and silk – I hardly see the 2/3rds wood elevage. Such a mobile, complex energetic but pure thing. Bravo – fine finishing intensity with a broad wave of finishing salinity. Top!’ Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, February 2023.

2021 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Pierrick Laroche (Maison des Hâtes)
Bougros is the last Grand Cru on the western side of the hill and enjoys a south to south-westerly exposition. Pierrick’s parcel comes from the western end of Bougros, towards the top of the hill where the slope is only about 5 %. Vinified in stainless steel, it was matured for 8 months in one barrique and one old 500 litre barrel, adding an extra dimension of complexity to complement the profoundly concentrated fruit from this exceptional site. An outstanding Grand Cru.

‘One barrel and one demi-muid for elevage. Candle protection used here, just above the section that uses the aspersion. Not a wide nose but one with a fine and deep floral note – beautifully perfumed wine. Hmm, that’s just a beauty in the mouth – melting, broad flavour, some salinity. That’s a simply excellent wine – potentially great - it has been beautifully made.’ Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report, February 2023.