Domaine Francois Raveneau Vaillons / Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons / 2024 / 750mL

The Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2024 is a taut, finely drawn Chardonnay from the left bank of Chablis, built on lemon pith, white peach and wet stone rather than richness. Vaillons in Raveneau's hands is the more open and perfumed of the domaine's premier crus, though 2024 has given it a distinctly cool, tightly wound frame.

The nose is quiet at first and then insistent: grapefruit zest, green apple skin, crushed oyster shell and a touch of white flowers, with the faint smoky note that comes with a little air in the glass.

The palate is lean in the best sense, with real tension running from front to back. Acidity is bright and vertical, the texture fine and slightly saline, and the finish is long, dry and chalky rather than fruity. 2024 in Chablis was a brutal season — April frost, hail through spring and early summer, and relentless mildew pressure cut the crop severely — and the surviving fruit shows in modest alcohol, low-key ripeness and a classic, cool-toned profile that recalls Chablis of an earlier era.

Serve it with Sydney rock oysters, raw kingfish, steamed blue swimmer crab or a simple roast chicken with tarragon. Pull it from the fridge fifteen minutes before pouring — this is a wine that shuts down when it is too cold.

Drink from 2027 through to 2038, with the mid-2030s likely the sweet spot.