2023 Patrick Piuze Chablis "Terroir Découverte", Burgundy, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This comes from a single vineyard named “Des Couverts”, from the village lieu-dit Vaulorent, not the premier cru portion of this slope, on the north-facing side of the Grand Cru hill. The vineyard lies in a cool corridor and is typically the last wine to be harvested at the village level by Patrick and his team. The soil is composed of 100% Kimmeridgian limestone with a bit more clay than other parts of Chablis; the soil dates back to the 200-million-year old Jurassic period.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

In only a short time, Patrick Piuze has gone from managing a wine bar in his native Québec to becoming one of Chablis’ most prominent rising stars. In 2008, after working for Olivier Leflaive, Verget and Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, Patrick started his own micro-négoce. Sourcing 20 hectares of old-vine fruit from respected growers throughout Chablis, he crafts over 20 cuvees, including grand cru, premier cru, single-village wines, a Petit Chablis sourced from a maximum of two parcels adjacent to grand cru vineyards, an Aligoté from Saint Bris, and a méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine from the Tonnerrois. He is one of the rare producers to identify the nuances from village to village within the general AOC Chablis and even distinguishes between microclimates in his two cuvees of grand cru Bougros.

Patrick’s belief in long, natural fermentations allows him to create powerful yet graceful wines that, even in less ripe vintages, show a soft, penetrating texture. Lively, nervy, and pure, they also exhibit soft creamy textures, layered complexity, and the contagious vitality of its maker.