Domaine des Hâtes, Chablis

It’s really exciting for us to be able to play our small part in spreading the word about small, upstart producers like Domaine des Hâtes. Founded by Pierrick Laroche in 2009 and already the recipient of glowing press from France’s Guide Hachette (among others), this estate feels tailor-made for SommSelect—one sip of today’s pure, mineral-driven, quite-substantial Chablis and I could see why Laroche is being touted as a talent to watch.He grew up in Maligny, one of the northernmost villages in Chablis, where his father mostly grew cereal grains but maintained some vineyards whose grapes he sold to the local cooperative, La Chablisienne. Starting in the 1980s, he started expanding his vineyard plantings bit by bit, which ended up working out nicely for Pierrick when he decided wine was going to be his career. Upon taking over those vineyards and establishing Domaine des Hâtes, Pierrick immediately eliminated all chemical treatments and made his first commercial releases in 2010—from vin