Domaine Thibert
Christophe Thibert and his sister Sandrine are the 7th generation at the helm of Domaine Thibert Père et Fils, which now encompasses over 60 acres throughout the Mâconnais region. They have multiple small parcels in several appellations, including Mâcon-Prissé, St. Véran, and Pouilly-Fuissé. Christophe is another winner of the Trophée de Jeune Talents - the best young winemaker in Burgundy – receiving the award in 2011. We arranged for Christophe’s son Antoine to work harvest here in Oregon in 2012, and plans are he’ll be joining the family estate full time in another couple of years.
They farm organically in most parcels, and pick the grapes by hand – two practices that are exceedingly rare in these parts (but on the rise with the new generation of quality-oriented producers.) The use of new oak is now at a maximum of 20% for the top Pouilly-Fuissé cuvées, while some appellations see no new wood at all.
From the honey-rich St. Véran to the complex and mineral-laden single-vineyard Pouilly-Fuissé bottlings, these are wines of terroir, wines that speak strongly of the place they come from. The wines are pure and authentic – Christophe hasn’t tried to steer them in any direction, rather he’s let them tell the story of their birthplace. And it’s a story I like to hear again and again…