Domaine Philippe Pacalet

Ruchottes Chambertin Grand Cru - 2018 - Philippe Pacalet

Burgundy

PACALET Philippe

Pinot Noir from 48-year-old vines on clayey-limestone soils. The vineyards are sloping and southeast-facing, located within a cool microclimate. Fruit of healthy organic farming, with a yield of 30 hl/ha. Vinification: whole grapes bunches, meticulously sorted, fermented without SO2, with cap punch downs twice a day for 3 ½ weeks. Alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts without artificial thermoregulation. Malolactic fermentation in barrels. Matured on lees in barrels under “reductive” conditions, without racking, but with stirring and zero SO2, for 17 months. Only a micro-dose of sulphur at bottling.
Philippe Pacalet is a now legendary figure of natural wine in Burgundy. He is the nephew of Marcel Lapierre, who trained him from 1985 to 1991, leaving an indelible mark on Philippe. A sensitivity towards this type of wine would seem to be in the family genes. Philippe then got noticed by Henry-Frédéric Roch, who would entrust him with vinifications at Prieuré-Roch from 1991 to 2001... An impeccable track record, needless to say. In 2001, Philippe took the next leap and moved to Beaune to make a name for himself. Quickly confronted with the reality of Burgundy land values, he decided to rent parcels in Chablis, Côtes de Beaune and Côtes de Nuits. Today, he farms 10 hectares for a total annual production of around 50000 bottles. The vinifications are done with whole bunches, no sulphur, long barrel ageing, the work of a precision craftsman whose only goal is to best express each climat or terroir, and to do so only using artisanal methods. Even the bottling is done by hand!