MCF Rare Wine

Gilbert Picq: Chablis' Affordable Classic

 

Since we're smack in the middle of prime time for fresh, light meals on warm evenings - a lineup of wonderfully elegant, precise and graceful Chablis from the Picq estate.  

 

Picq has long been one of the undervalued gems, certainly of Chablis, but really, of all of France.  Their traditional Chablis have always represented amazing deals and, now that the estate is in the hands of GIlbert's children Marilyn, Didier and Pascal, the style has been honed even further, resulting in wines with an even more classic style that are mineral, nuanced and aromatic. 

 

Given the warmer nature of the 2018 vintage, the transparency, aromatic energy and firm minerality these wines display is all the more impressive. 

 

The Chablis En Vaudecorse and Chablis Dessus la Carriere are the outstanding values of the Picq stable.  They both turn up the complexity over the estate's basic Chablis (not offered today), and do it in equally delicious, yet slightly different packages. 

 

The Vaudecorse comes from a lieu dit that's adjacent to 1er Cru Vaucoupin.  It's got plenty of lively citric/tropical character on the textured palate that give way to the fine, mineral finish.  

 

The Dessus, on the other hand, shares the textured mouthfeel and classic, mineral finish, but the overall profile leans a bit more towards the floral side of things, offering a nice counterpoint to the Vaudecorse.

 

The Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros is made from the oldest premiere cru vines in Picq's holdings, and is, for me, usually my favorite wine.  That's certainly true again in 2018, with this high-toned, flowery, focused wine that shows all kinds of subtle, gracious nuance.  The transparency and precision on the elegantly stony finish is just lovely, and it's an awful lot of wine for $39. 

 

There's nothing quite like the thought of a cold bottle of Chablis, dripping with so much condensation on a warm evening that the label is soaked through, waiting to accompany raw bar or seared scallops or grilled black sea bass...bright red lobsters...I mean...come on! 

 

So, with that beautiful image in your mind, here's a little Chablis for you.

 

You may order by emailing info@mcf-rarewine.com or calling 212.255.8870.

 

Matt Franco

MCF Rare Wine, Ltd

249 West 13th Street NYC 10011

212.255.8870