Ripe and expressive, the 2012 Patrick Piuze Val de Mer Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is bursting with honey, white flowers and wet river rock. While medium-bodied, the texture is slightly waxy, verging on tropical with notes of lush papaya, dried pineapple and lemon curd set against a pronounced mineral finish of wet shell and sel gris, thanks to Kimmeridgien soils that distinguish this as a Grand Cru. “Val de Mer” itself is located on an 18-hectare parcel off the left bank of the Serein River, the name means “Valley of the Sea,” a nod to the marine soils that are one of the distinguishing traits of the region. My impression is that at least some of the wine has been vinified in oak, but I haven’t been able to verify if this is the case.
9.2 Points