I suspect the source of the grapes—their own—explains a good part of this wine’s stature. Bichot, a respected Beaune-based négociant, like many négociants, owns the vineyards from which they make some of their wines, which has important advantages. It allows the winemaker to determine how to farm the land. Most importantly, the winemaker chooses exactly when to harvest to capture the elusive balance and ripeness and acidity. In Chablis, Bichot labels wine from their vineyards, like this one, with the domaine name, Long-Depaquit. Chablis from the warm 2023 vintage tend to be fruitier than the classic edgy ones of cooler years of the past. Bichot’s fits that mold, yet showing their talent—and superb sourcing of grapes—as they’ve produced an excellent village-level wine. At a stated alcohol of only 12.5 percent, this village Chablis conveys a delicate fruitiness along with the minerality you would expect from Chablis. If you are a fan of Chablis, Long-Depaquit is a good name to remember.
92 Michael Apstein – Jan 8, 2025