“Representing only older vines from among the estate’s parcels within this cru, Laroche’s 2012 Chablis Blanchots – tasted pre-assembled from barrel – delivers scents and flavors of marine minerality and fresh apple, incorporating a radish-like sizzle and nips of cress and chalk that segue into white pepper in its long, brightly juicy, almost electrically energetic finish. There is a sense of mid-palate expansiveness and lees-enrichment to help balance and enfold this wine’s pungency and tactile aggressiveness, but these are combined with a welcome sense of levity uncommon in a grand cru (and in fact finished alcohol proves to be on the low side of the present collection). The combination of vivid, clear, juicy fruit with vibrant and incisive mineral and herbal impingement is striking, and promises bottles worth following.”