2017 Gilbert Picq Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros, Burgundy

So powerful, this wine 'needs' 22mths lees-aging according to Didier Picq.

The premier cru of Vosgros lies to the west of the village, on south west facing plot. The Vosgros vines were planted 2/3 in the 1960s and 1/3 in the 1980s and tends to produce a beautifully tensile and complex wine. This, the 'Grand Cru' of the line starts out life with a youthful austerity, but unfolds brilliantly with bottle age to deliver a complex and minerally expression of Chablis. It is the longest-lived wine in the Picq portfolio.

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Picq's most serious premier cru, the superb 2017 Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros is located in a cold valley and typically receives six additional months of élevage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of lemon oil, lime zest and salty oystershells, it's medium to full-bodied, intense and concentrated, built around a vivid line of tangy acidity, with a deep, tight-knit core and a tense, chalky finish. It's an excellent wine in the making and one that will appeal to purists.

92-94 points William Kelley The Wine Advocate.

The 2017 Chablis Vosgros apparently had a difficult fermentation that was very slow this year and as a consequence it will probably be bottled later, early next year. The bouquet is more muted than the Vaucoupin at the moment partly because of the tardy ferment, so this is difficult to read at the moment. The palate is fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity, very focused and lively, delivering the power and precision towards the grippy finish. It will certainly merit three or four years in bottle, so have a cellar handy.