A Fabulous Chablis to enjoy this summer, Domaine Pattes Loup

At a wonderful family dinner, sitting outside among spectacular mountains, a bottle of Domaine Pattes Loup 2018 was ordered and it was the highlight of the evening.  The sommelier warned us that he only had 1 bottle left.  It was crisp with citrus undertones and special. He must have been hinting not to fall in love.

Turns out, the vineyard is special and so is the winemaker, Thomas Pico.  Yes, it is organic, but that doesn’t even scratch the service of how he is growing and harvesting the grapes and making the wine.  In 2005, he took over 8 hectares of his family estate with a dream of implementing organic practices to benefit the health of his loved ones and the soil.  According to the WineConsultant.com, Pico started experimenting with rotating cover crops to protect against erosion, increase water retention, and make the soil healthier with microorganisms.  It is about the connection between the land and its people.

The grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted.  Pico ferments his wines using indigenous yeasts, and bottles without fining or filtration.  The whole process seems extremely thoughtful and no detail is missed to produce such an exquisite briny, minerally Chardonnay from Chablis.  I hear the 2020 bottles have a cult following, but if you see this wine anywhere, it will elevate your evening beautifully. -C