2019 Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Chablis

Chablis, Burgundy, France

Vinous 90 points!

Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Chablis is a beautiful white wine gem from this world-renowned appellation in Burgundy, showing off the natural beauty of the Chardonnay grape. Patrick is a rising star among a group of young vintners in Chablis. After running a wine bar in Montreal for two years, Patrick Piuze moved to Burgundy in 2000 and spent the harvest with Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. Shortly after, Piuze was entrusted with the vinification of Laflaive’s new Chablis project and Patrick spent four years there honing his skills as a winemaker. Next, he spent a year at Verget with Jean-Marie Guffens where he developed a passion for exploring the distinct terroirs of Chablis. After just a year at Verget, Jean-Marc Brocard recruited him to be cellar master and head wine maker. Then Patrick decided to set out on his own and bottle under his own name. His first vintage in 2008 consisted of 20 different bottlings, all Chablis except for one. Piuze purchases all his fruit (never must or juice) and focuses on sourcing grapes from old vines situated in prime locations planted within the original boundaries of Chablis.

“The 2019 Chablis "Terroir de Chablis" comes from the north-facing hills of Vaillons and Montmains. It has a more reserved bouquet that needs coaxing from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a spicy entry, and quite lively in the mouth, leading to a peppery finish. Fine length here.”—Vinous, 90 points!

“But knowing what you’re getting is the essence of a classic, I replied—predictability in the very best sense of the word. Take, for example, the 2018 Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Chablis we were drinking. Every one of Mr. Piuze’s wines fits my idea of a classic Chablis: crisp and slightly austere with a certain kind of flinty minerality specific to Chardonnay grown in the chalky soils of this cool sub-region of Burgundy. His wines offer the taste of a place, without the interference of new oak; like most great Chablis, they’re aged in used oak or stainless steel for a cleaner result. His Chablis is a model for any Chablis maker, just as Chablis itself is a lodestar for winemakers all over the world producing vibrant, un-oaked Chardonnays.”—Lettie Teague, Wall Street Journal, 1/30/2020

Enjoy Patrick Piuze Chablis Terroir de Chablis with steamers, grilled sausages, roast chicken, grilled halibut, lobster salad and cheeses.