Chablis 1er Cru Beauregard, Domaine Pattes Loup Thomas Pico 2018

Thomas Pico started Pattes Loup in 2004 working on 2.5ha under the wing of his friends Alice and Olivier de Moor, with whom he runs the renowned wine fair Chai l’Un Chai l’Autre. The domaine takes its name after a vineyard planted by Thomas in the lieu-dit of Pattes-Loup (meaning wolf’s paw) which he inherited from his dear grandfather whom he was very close to.

Thomas initially worked as an employee at his family's Domaine de Bois d'Yver in Courgis and, following his grandfather’s death, managed to convince his father to stop using chemicals and convert their vineyards to organic, finally reaching certification in 2009. In an appellation where an overuse of herbicides and pesticides is unfortunately still the norm, Pattes Loup and its fastidiously tended low-yielding vines, happily living among a wide array of wildflowers and plants, feels like a world apart. He looks for full ripeness harvesting later than most, ferments and age in a variety of vessels and sizes (egg-shaped concrete, oak, stainless steel) allowing long élevage on lees to retain tension, texture and perfect balance. Low doses of SO2 are only added at racking and pre-bottling, and from 2018 the exact levels are specified on the labels.

There is a sense of vitality and density to the wines which can only come from Thomas' dedicated work in the vineyards and transparent winemaking.

Thomas made this 1er Cru from 30yo vines tended organically in Courgis (from one of the highest vineyards in Chablis). Aged in 4-6yo barrels for two years, then cuve for three months, it is more forward in its youth than his Butteaux, offering very attractive redcurrant fruits on the nose, good weight and vinosity and a lingering finish with a mineral vibration. VLQ. For drinking now to 2023+.

Producer  Domaine Pattes Loup - Thomas Pico

Origin Courgis, Yonne, Burgundy, France

Grapes Chardonnay

Vintage 2018

Alcohol  12.5% ABV

Style Full body white

Bottle size 750ml

Winemaking Manual harvest. Indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 2years. No filtration and no fining, little So2 added at bottling.

Notes Organic, Biodynamic , Natural