Domaine Pattes Loup
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4 products
It is no surprise that Thomas Pico became a vigneron. He spent most of his childhood between the vines of the family estate of Bois d'Yver in Courgis, just outside the village of Chablis. Soon after returning to his hometown in 2004, Thomas revitalized his father's vineyards, converting to organic viticulture. Thomas' steadfast commitment to organic practices, yield control, hand harvesting, and extended elevage has elevated the Domaine's quality and made Pattes Loup one of the most exciting new Chablis estates.
Domaine Pattes Loup is one of the most exciting estates to emerge from Chablis in recent years (Pattes Loup means "wolf paws"). Thomas Pico started his tiny estate in Courgis in 2005, just outside the village of Chablis, under the wings of his friends and fellow organic Chablisiennes, Alice and Olivier de Moor. He inherited 2.4 hectares of vines from his family's estate, which historically produced correct but uninspiring wines. Motivated to take a qualitative leap in a new direction, and against his father's wishes, Thomas immediately began a program of strict yield control and a conversion to organic viticulture. This undertaking is a rarity in Chablis and a feat of extreme diligence in this often inhospitable vine-growing region.
Progressively, Pico has taken over more and more of his father's vines. Today, the estate comprises 15 hectares of vineyards, all carefully and organically farmed. Most of Pico's vines are selection massale planted by his grandfather on the hillsides near Courgis and Preys, the two highest altitude villages in the appellation, with vineyards up to 300 meters in elevation. He is also experimenting with a rotation of cover crops to protect against erosion, increase water retention, and increase microorganisms in his soils.
Another distinguishing factor is Pico's commitment to hand-harvesting, followed by hand sorting out imperfect berries on a vibrating triage table at the winery. He ferments all wines using indigenous yeasts, and is now doing a minimum of a 36-month élévage, and is experimenting with 48 months depending on the cuvées and vintages. He feels that the longer élévage gives the wines an added dimension, texture, and complexity and is unique in the world of Chablis. All bottling is done here without fining and filtration.
His AC Chablis is from 60+-year-old vines and is fermented and aged in a combination of concrete eggs, neutral barrel, and stainless steel. The Premier Crus of Côte de Jouan, Beauregard, and Butteaux (from within Montmains) are from hillside vineyards between 30 and 60 years old and are all raised in older oak for one year, followed by two years in either tank or concrete vats.
