Chablis is perhaps the most distinctive of all Chardonnay wines. Drawn from well-sited slopes on the famous Kimmeridgian soils of the village, Chablis, especially Grand Cru Chablis, combines power with a raciness not found in other Chardonnays. British writer Hugh Johnson described it well: “Grand Cru Chablis tastes important, strong, almost immortal. And indeed it does last a remarkably long time; a strange and delicious sort of sour taste enters into it a ten years or so, and its golden green eye flashes meaningfully.” Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin’s excellent 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir reflects the character to which Mr. Johnson refers. The nose shows crisp apple and lemon fruits interwoven with floral, nut, herb, honey and spice nuances. The flavors are bright, pure and refreshing with the oyster-shell minerality of Chablis evident. The apple and citrus flavors are enhanced by the honey, nut and herb elements that linger at the finish. Even now, this a delicious and thoroughly enjoyable Chablis, but it will reward those who choose to cellar it for a decade and let its immortal essence evolve.
Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin, Chablis Grand Cru (Burgundy, France) 2021
By Wayne Belding