Chablis - Chardonnay (21) Droin

Chardonnay | terroir van grijze mergel en kalksteen op Kimmeridgien | 35 jaar oude stokken | whole bunch press | vergisting en rijping in staaltank voor 8 à 10 maanden | levendig en klassiek | stenig | pittige zuren | herkenbaar zilte toets | limoen

Review

Purer and more aromatically classical than its Petit Chablis counterpart, Droin's 2021 Chablis Village offers up aromas of pear, white flowers, oyster shell and honey, followed by a medium to full-bodied, tangy and incisive palate, concluding with a saline finish. 89/100 William Kelley

As I've written before, Benoît Droin's immensely dependable wines are among the most consistent in the region, and to my palate, the combination of Diam closures and élevages employing recently used and, indeed, occasionally new wood (though only up to 10%) means that these wines need a few years in bottle to show their best. But everything invariably comes together to impressive effect, and the wines age very gracefully indeed. Farming is conventional at this 26-hectare domaine, but the soils are cultivated mechanically, and synthetic treatments are kept to a minimum. Harvest is early and is partially mechanized, followed by fermentation and élevage in stainless steel and wood, with the proportions varying according to the cuvée. In 2021, Droin opted to pick quite early, all in one go, and reported good sanitary conditions for the year, with the wines reminding him of a rather richer, fleshier version of 2007.