Val de Mer, which loosely translates to “Valley of the Sea,” is a second winery owned and produced by Patrick Piuze. Patrick has a partner in Val de Mer who hails from Champagne and no doubt has a hand in the fine sparkling wines produced under this label. The overall estate is comprised of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a combination of estate holdings as well as some sourced fruit. Val de Mer has given Patrick the opportunity to produce a few other wines unique to the Chablis region that he does not produce under his Patrick Piuze label, including two sparkling wines and a Bourgogne Blanc. He believes in a very “hands-off” approach to making wine. Native yeasts, long fermentations, no enzymes or nutrients are ever introduced, battonage is skipped, and sulfur is kept to a minimum. The wines all ferment and age in stainless steel, with the premier and grand crus spending time in neutral wood.
