Some quick thoughts on the 2011 Pascal Bouchard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos.
The Geekery
Clive Coates notes, in The Wines of Burgundy, that the domaine of Pascal Bouchard was founded in 1979 when Pascal and his wife Joëlle inherited vines that belonged to her father André Tremblay. Today the domaine is ran by their son, Romain, and covers a little over 81 acres–including vines in the Grand Cru climats of Les Clos, Vaudesir and Blanchot.
Pascal Bouchard also owns several choice plots of Premier Cru vineyards including Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu on the Grand Cru side of Chablis and Beauroy, Montmains and Vau de Vey to the west of the Serein river.
The vineyards are farmed sustainably with the avoidance of chemicals and pesticides. The Grand Crus are aged in oak (15% new) for at least 12 months on the lees though they do not see any bâtonnage to ensure freshness.
Les Clos is the largest of the Chablis Grand Crus with the vines facings south between Valmur and Blanchot. The wines are noted for their racy minerality and depth that often require bottle aging. Other notable estates that produce wine from this vineyard includes Francois Raveneau (Wine Searcher Ave $708), Rene et Vincent Dauvissat-Camus (Ave $247) and William Fevre (Ave $108).
The Wine
Chablis’ Grand Crus
Medium-plus intensity nose. Lots of citrus aromas, both the pulp and pith. There are also some floral notes adding depth.
On the palate, those citrus notes carry through and you can feel the weight from the oak. There is distinct minerality, especially on the finish with some salinity wrapping itself around the citrus flavors. Mouthwatering and savory. Medium-plus acidity gives freshness.
The Verdict
Les Clos’ age-worthiness certainly stands out in this wine which was surprisingly fresh for 6+ years.
The noticeable weight of the oak and “pithy” tannins are a bit unique from stereotypical stainless steel Chablis but the terroir’s minerality still shines through and adds savory complexity. It’s a very characterful Chablis Grand Cru that is well worth $90-100 but it’s certainly not a benchmark example.