Chablis Terroir Découverte

90 Points, William Kelley (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

The 2019 Chablis Terroir Découverte unwinds to reveal aromas of citrus oil, crisp green orchard fruit, pastry cream, white flowers and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, lively and precise, with a fleshy core of fruit, tangy acids and a long, penetrating finish, it has turned out especially well. This is produced from a late-ripening site that touches Vaulorent.

Disarmingly frank and at the peak of his winemaking powers, Quebecois Patrick Piuze's négociant operation continues to thrive—as do rumors that it may be augmented by a domaine component in the near future. The 2019 vintage has turned out brilliantly—"it's ripe and concentrated but still tastes like Chablis," Piuze summarizes—and this address has produced some of its best exemplars. Readers will remember the rudiments of Piuze's approach: hand-harvested grapes are pressed firmly in old Vaslin presses, their juice fermented in used barrels and stainless steel, with sur lie élevage of comparatively short duration, because Piuze wishes to capture the maximum of freshness and energy by early bottling. The resulting wines are elegantly textural but incisive, clearly differentiated by site. This is also the best address to explore the Chablis AOC, as Piuze produces a number of cuvées and lieu-dit bottlings designed to highlight the diversity that this large appellation encompasses.