2009 Chablis

Pattes Loup is arguably the single most exciting young domaine in Chablis today. Proprietor Thomas Pico owns five hectares of vineyards under his name and purchases additional fruit from vineyards owned by his father but that Pico farms himself, all in Courgis and Chablis itself. Both sets of vineyards are farmed biodynamically. The approach in the winery is similarly hands-off. The 2009 harvest began during the 3 rd week of September, towards the later side for the year in Chablis, yet the wines retain a level of crystalline purity and nuance that is quite rare for the vintage. The 2009 premier crus were mostly vinified in neutral oak with ambient yeasts (unusual in Chablis), where they remained on their lees with no rackings through the malos. The wines were racked in August, 2010, assembled, and bottled in March, 2011 with no fining or filtration. Pico remains deeply influenced by Oliver and Alice de Moor, his neighbors and mentors in Courgis. Stylistically, Pico's wines remind me of the laser-like focus of Cedric Bouchard's Champagnes combined with the richness and inner sweetness found in the wines of the late Didier Dagueneau. Simply put, these are some of the most ground-breaking, intensely captivating wines being made in Chablis today. Readers should do whatever they can to taste them. Thomas Pico is just a bit past his 30th birthday, but he is already on his way to becoming a superstar.