The 2016 Chablis Les Montmains 1er Cru comes entirely from the titular vineyard and is matured 60% in oak. It has an attractive richness on the nose, more so than the Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes, scents of white peach, melted candlewax and praline. The palate is well balanced with a slightly earthy entry, the acidity well judged and displaying impressive weight towards the finish that is laced with nutmeg and a pinch of fennel. This is quite a complex Les Montmains that will deserve a year or two in bottle. What a great Montmains from Laroche.

Revisiting the 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains, I found it drinking well, offering up the same aromas of white peach, mandarin oil and Meyer lemon that it showed a year ago, today complemented by suggestions of dried white flowers and lanolin. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, bright and incisive, with a fleshy core of fruit, tangy acids and an attractively pure, precise finish. While I suspect that this will develop more exotic overtones with further bottle age, it's an undeniable success in this challenging vintage.