Gilbert Picq et ses Fils Gilbert Picq et ses Fils Chablis Vauclaire 2023 750ml

The 2022 Chablis Vauclaire represents the first time this 1.65-hectare parcel has been bottled on its own. It has a lovely, slightly chalky bouquet that opens beautifully in the glass, with hints of yellow plum and jasmine. The palate is well-balanced with a crisp line of acidity, orange rind and a dash of white pepper. Classic in style with more depth on the finish compared to the Chablis Village. This marks a strong debut.

Picq’s 2023 Chablis Vauclaire offers a sun-kissed bouquet of peach, pear and dried white flowers. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, built around a fleshy core of fruit and tangy acids, concluding in a long, precise finish. Planted in 1985, this cuvée hails from the opposite side of En Vaudécorse and presents as the slightly richer of the two in 2023.

The 2023 Chablis Vauclaire has quite a straightforward, direct nose with yellow fruit, perhaps missing the amplitude that graced the previous vintage. The palate is light and agile, with fine acidity. Still, it needs a little more substance to come through on the finish. Probably one of Didier Picq's earlier drinking cuvées.