At his tiny domaine Pattes Loup in Chablis, Thomas Pico is a legend in the making. To my palate, he’s producing some of the most compelling white wines in all of Burgundy, but I’ll warn you, people are starting to catch on.
Pico got his start in 2005 in Courgis, just outside the village of Chablis, working side by side with living legends Alice and Olivier de Moor, pioneers of organic farming and icons in the region. Their influence is all over Pico’s work, from the way he farms to the slow and methodical way he brings his wines up, and while he is inspired by his mentors, he's also very much doing his own thing.
From the beginning, he went against the grain, refusing to make the clean, “correct,” and cookie-cutter type of Chablis that floods the market. Instead, he set out to craft soulful, intentional, deeply expressive wines that could go toe-to-toe with the best in Burgundy.
He succeeded in this endeavor through a commitment to organic farming, drastically lowering yields to intensify flavors, and farming for quality over quantity. This slow and thoughtful approach is matched by his patient work in the cellar, which includes native yeast fermentations in concrete eggs and tanks along with extended aging on the lees. Nothing is rushed, and that restraint is exactly what gives his wines their depth, texture, and energy.
In a relatively short period of time, his wines have come to be compared to those from the top tier of Chablis. I’m talking Raveneau, Dauvissat, and of course De Moor. I love the wines from these benchmark producers, but they’re expensive and very hard to come by. Pico’s wines share that same depth, minerality, and aging potential, but they come to you at much more attractive prices, and you can actually get them...for now. As more Chablis lovers taste them each year, my allocation gets a bit smaller and the prices keep creeping up.
While Thomas's 2022 Vent d’Ange is his “entry level” wine, it behaves like a Premier Cru from a top estate. Sourced from parcels that include vines over 60 years old, this is masterful, dramatic Chablis that overdelivers in every way. It pours a deep straw, almost golden color, and the bouquet is one I could smell all day. Crushed rock, chalk, oyster shells, and a briny sea air nuance lead the way, and it just gets better on the palate.
Broader and more textural than most “basic” Chablis, this immediately tells you it was made from great fruit by someone who really gives a damn. Despite its grand style, it still pulses with energy, delivering waves of Meyer lemon, freshly sliced green apple, Bosc pear, citrus zest, dried honey, and that mesmerizing minerality that carries through the long, profound finish.
I’ll just say it: wines this good don’t stay under the radar for long. Thomas Pico’s reputation is growing quickly, the wines are made in small quantities, and the market is going to catch up.
Buy as much as you can while you still can! Trust me on this one...
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
