Chablis 2021: New Releases

This is the pinnacle of the Droin wines, and one of the finest grand cru cuvées in Chablis. The wine's special name is in celebration of Louis Droin, who bought this parcel in 1920, and was first used for the 2020 cuvée. It is tight and nervous, with power bubbling beneath the still surface.

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. A little over 25% was fermented and aged in old oak, giving a subtle smoky note to the nose with hints of lemon. This is an elegant wine with classical balance, plenty of ripe yellow citrus on the palate, a pretty floral character running in parallel and ending with a long saline, tangy finish.

Droin’s Vosgros is always one of the most striking and characterful wines at the domaine. Vinified and raised in stainless steel, this has a rich volume, coupled with delicious purity. It shows freshly cut grass and herbaceous notes on the nose, and has wonderful intensity on the palate, with green apple and pineapple notes carrying through to a long, fine finish.

Valmur is pressed up against Les Clos; the contour of its slope, where much faces northwest, make it slightly cooler than other parts of the grand cru. 40% aged in oak gives exotic spice and stone fruit aromas. The palate is generous and rounded with amazing density and concentration, which is underpinned by the acid and mineral disposition of the vintage. The finish is remarkable, long, elegant, saline and packed full of juicy stone fruit. Very well judged indeed.

Mont de Milieu, the mountain in the middle, historically marked the frontier between Burgundy and Champagne. It has a south-facing aspect - rare in Chablis - and this wine expresses the flamboyant side of Chardonnay grown in a sunny spot in a cool climate. 25% aged in oak. This wine is bursting with white flowers, apricots and peaches with a lick of toast. On the palate there is a pronounced chalky freshness, which wraps around the white stone fruit. This is so intense, salty, mineral, but fleshy.

Montmains is on the slope of the left bank, snuggled right up next to Vaillons, but has deeper clay soils, and typically produces a rounder wine with more weight. 40% aged in oak, this is really quite ‘bourguignon’ in style, as in, it wouldn’t be impossible to mistake it for something from the Côte d’Or if tasting blind, but that little kick of oyster shell that whips around the fruit gives it away as Chablis. There’s a wonderful perfume of yellow and white flowers, while the palate displays an enticing white stone fruit element with a little creamy toast character from the oak and a long iodine finish.

Benoît’s village Chablis is one of the best out there. It's a blend of about 14 parcels all made in tank. The 2021 is classicly mineral, flinty and more savoury in style than in previous years. It has a tension and persistence that reverberates across the palate. Nice chalky freshness, with a long, saline finish and poised citrus fruit. Brilliant value.

Vaudésir sits at the top of the grand cru hill, and enjoys a steep incline, making it one of the sunnier spots in the grand cru. This 2021 has so much precision and density, with an elegant perfume giving it surprising accessibility in youth. The palate has a great texture, an attack of pure ripe citrus fruit, simultaneously elegant and powerful. The finish is grippy, saline and very long - classic Chablis.