Description

The Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux from Domaine Pattes Loup

is one of Thomas Pico’s finest creations. The aromatic complexity, structural density and vitality of this wine are extraordinary. Distinct notes of candied citrus, stone fruit, white flowers and lemon verbena unfold in succession. The balance is sumptuous: the fruit-driven body coexists with a mineral core and an enveloping texture. This multidimensional mid-palate gains in chalky intensity as the tasting progresses. The finish is immensely long. This wine is truly astounding! … It would be best to keep it for a few more years, or at the very least decant it properly, and it will reach its peak alongside some flambéed langoustines and prawns in citrus butter.

The Chablis 1er Cru Buteaux cuvée from Domaine Pattes Loup in detail

• Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay (old vines over 50 years old and vines planted in the 2000s)
• Plots: Located in the Butteaux hamlet in the southern part of this Premier Cru
• Cultivation: organic and biodynamic principles
• Terroir: Fairly steep, well-drained soils, rich in clay mixed with Kimmeridgian marl and marine fossils. Brown clay at the top and bottom of the hillside, white clay in the middle. Altitude of approximately 160 metres
• Fermentation: indigenous yeasts
• Ageing: Extended ageing in large casks (mostly 500 litres) followed by two full years in vats. Sulphite-free vinification, with an ultra-minimal amount added at bottling

Chablis Premier Cru Buteaux

If ‘butte’ means ‘hilltop

’, then Butteaux perfectly describes the location of this Chablis Premier Cru vineyard. You have to look up towards the hill to catch sight of the Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux

. Proudly perched on its hilltop, at the very spot where the altitude is highest, this vineyard overlooks Forêts, its neighbouring vineyard. Butteaux benefits from favourable weather conditions: with south-east facing slopes

and good ventilation, it offers the grapes an ideal terroir for excellent ripening. Beneath the surface lie Kimmeridgian marls, often shallow and characterised in places by large boulders. On the surface, white and blue clays mingle with large pebbles that facilitate soil drainage. Butteaux, like Forêts, falls under the umbrella of Montmains, their

shared flagship climat

. The Les Butteaux climat is rightly considered one of the finest terroirs in Chablis.

What to eat with a Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Mise Tardive from the Pattes Loup estate?

• Chablis-style andouillette
• Veal with sage
• Chicken stew
• Prawns in citrus butter
• Flambéed langoustines

The Guide to the Best Wines of France ★★

Based in Courgis, Thomas Pico has been working the vineyards since 2004, which he immediately converted to organic farming. The estate has gradually expanded and Thomas is now also in charge of the family estate (Domaine de Bois d'Yver), from which his vines originate. Out of respect for the terroirs, he refuses to use a grape-harvesting machine, insists on working the plots by hand – situated on the left bank of the Serein (four Premier Crus) – and limits yields, unless nature takes care of it as it did in 2015, 2016 and 2017… Vinification using indigenous yeasts, construction of a new winery in 2014: the wines have improved rapidly. The latest vintages shine with a unique brilliance, thanks to extended ageing periods. (Source: La Revue du Vin de France – Guide Vert 2023)