2010 Chablis Vaucoupin 1er Cru

Didier Picq's wines are always on the big side, and that is amplified in 2011. Picq harvested his 2011s from September 6 to 15, which is to say slightly on the late side relative to his peers. Of course, the 2011s are still very young. It will be interesting to see what direction they take over the coming year. I also tasted all of the tanks that will be blended into the straight Chablis. The 2010s also showed beautifully across the board.

Didier Picq's vineyards are all located in the Chichée, which is just a few kilometers outside Chablis. Picq is among the growers who use stainless steel exclusively. The wines are fermented with indigenous yeasts, which is not as common in Chablis as it is in other parts of Burgundy. The wines undergo full malolactic fermentation and are bottled on the late side. The house style is one that emphasizes a bold, direct expression of fruit with tonalities that tend towards peach and apricot rather than the brighter, citrus-infused end of the spectrum. The wines can be enjoyed pretty much upon release. I tasted all of the 2010s from tank and the 2009s from bottle. As is the case throughout Chablis, the 2009s here are rich and low in acidity (in relative terms) while the 2010s are decidedly cooler and focused. Picq plans to bottle his 2010s in January/February 2012.