Raveneau & Oysters: Variations on a Simple Pleasure
An oyster, a sip of Raveneau, and time. I have been thinking about how much those few things can contain. For anyone less familiar with the name, Raveneau is a small family domaine in Chablis, in northern Burgundy, making some of the most coveted expressions of Chardonnay in the world. The wines are known for their depth, longevity, and ability to reveal themselves slowly. For me, their particular attraction is the combination of marine flavors, enveloping texture, and a complexity that keeps developing in the glass. Recently at Scott and Kate’s, we had Hog Island oysters with three vintages of Raveneau’s Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre: 2010, 2014, and 2023. The 2010 was my favorite—less overtly fruity, with white fruit, verbena, hints of lychee and almond. The 2014 felt the most classical and balanced, with yellow fruit and a long future ahead. The 2023 was ripe, full of orchard fruit, and delicious. Those are useful notes. They help me remember the bottles. But they only...