robert_parker 2004
Rating: 89 –89
Produced from 20-year-old vines, the 2004 Chablis is entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Its fresh mineral aromas give way to a silky-textured, medium-bodied personality jam-packed with slate, sea salt, minerals, and flint. This pure wine is concentrated, reveals excellent depth of fruit, and has a seamless finish. Drink this wonderful value over the next 2-3 years. Were it not for Domaine William Fevre’s extraordinary surge in quality in recent years, Domaine Isabelle et Denis Pommier would have to get the award for most improved Chablisien estate. Though they started out making good wines, the progress has been marked. A young couple, they are committed, hard working, and have re-invested their earnings into a new winery, equipping themselves to produce even better wines in the future (as the superb 2005 will attest!). To Denis Pommier, the wines of 2004 are reminiscent of the 2000s, two vintages with high yields. He harvested 70 hectoliters per hectare in 2004, which he blames on “the incessant rains of August,” bringing in fruit that averaged 11.5% natural potential alcohol. “In recent memory, of course, our finest vintage in Chablis was 2002,” he added. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083