Patrick Piuze is a new producer in Chablis. He is a young french-canadian guy that previously has worked in the area, but started his own business with the 2007-vintage. Patrick Piuze owns no vineyards, but works as a classic negociant. All grapes he buys comes from old vines with an age between 38-80 years old. He does only spontaneous (and therefore long) fermentations. In 2007 he made one blended standard Chablis, in addition to premier and grand cru, but with his second vintage he decided to separate the standard Chablis into 4 wines from different villages. One desicion which is unusual in the area. With the exception of the Terroir de Fleys (where 40% spends time in barrel) all are aged in tank. The premier and grand cru are aged in barrel, but all wines see only neutral wood and seems to take little influence from the oak. On August 30th we tasted through 7 wines from the 2008-vintage.
Chablis Terroirs de Chichee 2008
From grapes grown within the village of Chichee on the right bank of the river. Quite simple and young Chablis with a mineral approach. Hints of fennel, seaweed. Clean, round and mineral style in the mouth. Round and kind Chablis with a fine focus. Nice, but forgettable Chablis.
Chablis Terroirs de Courgis 2008
From grapes grown within the village of Courgis on the left bank of the river with more clay in the soil. The nose shows a little "slimmer" than the Chichee. More reductive and showing less. Some citrus and minerality. Also slimmer in the mouth. Citrusy fruit. Brighter and more refreshing style. Light mineral notes. This is a finer wine than the Chichee, but is quite hard to judge right now. Try again in a year.
Chablis Terroirs de Chablis 2008
From grapes within the village of Chablis on the left bank of the river. This is a much more intense wine on the nose. Still mineral with a hints of fennel. Better depth. More powerful style also in the mouth. A little fatter and with more concentration. Yet the acids are fine and refreshing. The clearly best of the 4 village-wines. Nice standard-Chablis.
Chablis Terroirs de Fleys 2008
From grapes within the village of Fleys from the right bank of the river. 40% of the juice is barrel-aged. This is perhaps simpler on the nose with a more flowery character. Still shows some minerality. Lighter wine in the mouth. Kind Chablis with round and mild acids. Nice enough wine, but forgettable.
Chablis 1er cru Fourchaume 2008
A little more intensity on the nose. Some chalk, limestone on the nose. Lightly fruity notes. Clean and mineral style in the mouth. But not so much more depth than for example the "Terroirs de Chablis". Quite round and kind wine. A simple premier cru.
Chablis 1er cru Mont de Milieu 2008
This has more intensity. Deeper minerality and citrus on the nose. More depth here. Tighter wine in the mouth with a certain elegance. Mineral, chalk, citrus-notes. Young and tight wine. Good. Try again in 2-3 years. Very good.
Chablis grand cru Les Clos 2008
Mineral wine. Seaweed. Bigger and light fat in the mouth. Clear and bright Les Clos with citrusy fruit and fine acids. Not the most intense grand cru. Nice depth and a very good wine. Perhaps a tad expensive. Try again in 3-4 years.
The wines from Patrick Piuze are made in a style I quite like. They are honest wines that seems to reflect the soil and the oak is either
abscent or in the background and I would be happy to drink them. That said these wines did not move me either. There are better
producers in Chablis out there. But as this is Patrick Piuze's second vintage only I would recommend keeping an eye out in the future.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting note: Aug-09