Tasted with Didier Picq in Chichée, 10 January 2019.
Domaine Gilbert Picq et Fils
3 route de Chablis
89800 Chichée
Tel: +33 3 86 42 18 30
Didier on 2018:
“2018 – another early vintage – started 05 Sept – 1 day earlier than in 2017. Some differences in maturity and the volume of grapes meant a longer harvest though – 11 days versus 6 in 2017. Extraordinary quality – but also quality. Almost 13° for the last harvested grapes. 1992 was almost such a big harvest and the quality was less but they taste great now. 2000 had a lot of grapes too – but they were very hard to press though. Interestingly, the last couple of dry years means I have less incidence of ESCA so need to replant fewer vines (whilst discussing for the photo – right.)”
Didier on 2017:
“We had a good harvest, starting 6th September – but it was still a complicated year with many nights of frost – but we worked hard to keep things warm! At harvest we had clean grapes, practically no chaptalisation was required – 50-52 hl – we were lucky. The frost wasn’t catastrophic, followed by plenty of rain – a complicated spring because of that but it was a good year with no maladies so very clean grapes was the reward. I think it has a very good typicité – for me it’s like 2014 but with extra ripeness and finesse – 14 with elegance if you like. It’s a vintage for a lot of magnums!”
The wines…
Such a great set of wines here – as every year – am I wrong to think of Didier as the Jean-Philippe Fichet of Chablis?
Some 2017s are in bottle – mainly since the harvest – not commercialising yet, but soon – probably in February-March
2017 Chablis
Hmm – fresh, wide, a little saline – that’s a great start to my day. Good volume and a clarity of flavour here – mineral – no austerity – chiselled, fine acid and a characterful floral finish. Simply a beautiful Chablis.
Same soil as Vaucoupin, usually lots of millerandes. This from right bank.
A more vibrant minerality. Ä touch of reduction but more depth to the texture – more width to the flavour – transparent, more overt minerality but without a reduction in the moreish style of the wines. Bravo – orange zest sensation in the long finish…
2017 Chablis Vieilles Vignes
From vines of 60 years-old from 3 parcels – represents almost 1 hectare, more right bank.
A nose closer to that of the Vaudécorse than the basic Chablis – vibrantly mineral and highly attractive. Open, pure, a touch of herb in te complexity of this one. A finishing width that is persistent for a great memory of this wine.
Those were the bottled wines. What follows is in tank:
For bottling May-June.
A more floral aspect to the minerality here – another fine invitation. More supple, more depth of texture – the first really different wine – more complex too. The finish is long but less intense than the previous wines – that’s probably the extra elevage that it needs… I think bravo again!
2017 Chablis 1er Vosgros
This probably will be bottled toward the end of March – maybe into April.
A much more modest volume of aroma – but pure, sea-shells, freshness. Ooh that’s wide, growing in intensity, melting into the palate – precision is a word that I’d use here – saline. Hmm vibrant and Excellent.
2017 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
Same soil as the first wine but with a small change in the orientation. In bottle
Not timid, but a lower volume of aroma – but pure, fresh – enviable clarity. Ooh – this is quite large in the mouth – quite airy – transparent – but always building in volume – a wine that’s at it’s largest in the finish – there’s lots to come here. Excellent…