Domaine Pichot Vouvray Sec Coteau de la Biche 2022 (screw cap)

Variety: Chenin Blanc
Country, Region: France, Loire Valley
Appellation: Vouvray

This wine comes from vines situated just above the family house and winery in the prime south-east facing Vallee de Nouys. Afficionados of dry Vouvray have for centuries considered the Vallee de Nouys to be the best site in the appellation for drier styles of wine with great finesse. The famed vineyard of Clos Baudoin is located further down the valley barely a stones throw away. Vinified in stainless steel with about 10% of this cuvee being aged in older 400 litre barrels. 2022 is a stunning vintage for dry Vouvray yielding wines of perfume, finesse and lip-smacking freshness. Aromas of pear candied fruit and spice with hints of honey and that distinctive chalkiness that is so typical of great Vouvray. Fine, brilliantly focused flavours with exceptional texture and length this shows the tension typical of great dry Vouvray. Best vintage of this wine we have tasted. A winner - a wine to buy by the case not the bottle.

2020 review 'A charming, welcoming, very suave 2020 Vouvray Sec Coteau de la Biche with no edges. This expands in the mouth; there's good concentration and fine tannic structure that provides a gentle chalky finish. Very satisfying and succulent with a lovely smoky note at the end. The 7g/L of residual sugar keeps things juicy and succulent rather than adding overt sweetness. Drink 2021-2027.' 90 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, March 2021.

'Less well known than Huet or Clos Naudin, the Pichots merit as much praise.' Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France, La Revue de Vins de France.

The Pichot family is one of the oldest in Vouvray with origins as restaurateurs going back to 1739 later followed by the purchase of the superb Coteau de la Biche vineyards in 1770 establishing them as growers to help supply the restaurant. Their vineyard holdings are mostly located all at the top of the village with the largest holding which makes up their classic Coteau de la Biche in the prime Vallee de Nouys which is perfectly sited for making drier styles of wine and faces south-east. The Pichot family also own most of the “premiere coteau” site of Le Marigny located just above the village opposite Clos du Bourg. These are quite simply regarded as being amongst the very best vineyard sites of the appellation.

All vineyards are farmed organically with grasses grown between the rows to reduce the uptake of moisture and vigour to the vines. The average age of vines is high with the Clos Cartaud vines around 75 years old. While Vouvray as a whole produces about 40 % sparkling wines and 60 % still wines at Domaine Pichot more than 85 % are still wines made into sec, demi-sec or moelleux and less than 15 % being made as sparkling wines. The style of the wines here is among the driest of the appellation for each style with sec typically being from 3-7 g/L residual and demi-sec from 13-17 g/L with moelleux most often around 60 g/L. Harvesting is mostly done by hand and yields are kept low at an average 25 hl/ha.

One of the first domaines of Vouvray to export to the U.S.A. Domaine Pichot are perhaps better known in export markets than at home in France as Christophe spends most of his time ‘hands-on’ in the vineyards and winery and being such a small producer he is very focused for each step of production. Domaine Pichot are very well known for the brilliant quality of the stunning sweet wines, although their dry and demi-sec wines are also superb. Right across the range these are remarkable wines that will age effortlessly for decades (as vintages back to 1950’s very generously shared from the family cellar have demonstrated) and will also provide great satisfaction from a young age.