2019 Chablis

Benoît’s village Chablis is a go-to wine across the vintages. Highly sought-after for its reliability and brilliant quality, this cuvée is a thrill to bring to Lay & Wheeler this year. It has a beautifully chalky, citrus character, so typical of the Kimmeridgian soil here. Notes of oyster shell and a balanced, poised palate make this a pretty perfect wine at the price.

This is undoubtedly the pinnacle of the Droin 2019s, and one of the finest grand cru cuvées in Chablis. Delicious on the nose, with mesmerising notes of citrus, oyster brine, and green apple. But whilst the nose is already so expressive, the palate will need time to fulfill its potential. There is so much power and elegance here, it will be worth the wait.

This is a blend of five terroirs across the steep Vaillons premier cru. Blending gives Benoît the chance to introduce freshness, with higher acid fruit running through the riper parcels. 30% was fermented and aged in oak, giving a good depth of structure behind the bright and peachy fruit. It is usually one of the most forward and approachable in his cellar, and 2019 is no different, with its lovely scent of spring flowers. No need to wait here; it has the energy and tension to make it open from youth.

This stands out in the Droin flight for its smoky, gunflint reduction. Benoît says Vosgros always shows a petrolly note in its youth, which marries beautifully with the impressive intensity on the palate in 2019. There is a quiet and refined austerity in this wine’s grip, expertly chiselled by the stainless steel fermentation and ageing. Very fine indeed.

This is the first premier cru Benoît decides to show. It is so flinty and taut on the nose, with lime, lemon, apricot and floral aromas, followed by nice fleshiness on the palate. It feels fresh, ripe, and straight: a classic structure, with perhaps a touch more roundness than cooler years. This unoaked premier cru will drink well from early on.

The Valmur displays its calibre in its depth of fruit and precision. There are extra layers of floral precision here, and formidable drive on the finish. It has a wonderful length, and will reward those who are patient as its finely balanced elements evolve over the years.

This is a sunny, south-facing vineyard, and the Droin vines are old, and low yielding. In 2019 you can feel the concentration of the vintage. Its nose is laden with peaches, ripe pears, and an elegant reduction. The salinity and mineral energy of the palate carry the full body of the wine with admirable grace. Powerful and persistent.

40% of this has been fermented and aged in oak, giving it a distinctly Burgundian feel. The vineyard has marly soil, and its wine’s aroma is like slicing through a juicy lemon. The oak helps give the palate structure and satisfying buttery depth, though the wine remains focused and nervous to the end.

There is always a clear gear shift when you reach the grands crus of the Droin cellar, with their greater density and focus. The Vaudésir is much like the Vaillons: open and inviting already, and of all the grands crus, should begin to drink the earliest, though its drinking window should not be underestimated. Chalky lift and a white peach scent make for an enticing wine.