JEAN PAUL & BENOIT DROIN Chablis 1er Cru 'Vaillons' 2020 Bottle

Description

Jean-Paul et Benoît Droin is one of the oldest domaines in Chablis, dating back to at least the 1600s. Benoît Drion is the talented winemaker at the helm, and his consistently excellent whites are gaining greater recognition with each vintage. It was his father who put the estate on the quality map, a reputation that Benoît is more than continuing.

There are 26 hectares of vineyards spread across the region, and split across five Grand Cru vineyard sites, nine Premier Cru sites plus Chablis and Petit-Chablis vineyards. Their impressive portfolio includes the revered Grand Cru Les Clos vineyard. The majority of their vines grow on the important Kimmeridgian limestone soils; quality starts here and continues into the winery. Judicious use of oak barrels and a commitment to extracting the crisp minerality which Chardonnay does so brilliantly in each bottle is a testament to Benoît’s skill as a wine grower and a winemaker.

90-92 points Jasper Morris
"A fresh lime tint to the colour heralds the classic dry minerality of this vineyard. Sweetly soft white fruit up front, classic Chablis behind with a grace and charm, and pleasingly persistent."

90-92 points Vinous
"The 2020 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has a flinty, focused, energetic nose that feels more harmonious than the preceding Côte de Léchet. The palate is taut, fresh and saline in the mouth, showing great depth and concentration toward the finish. This will be worth looking out for."

91 points Burghound
"Here there is less citrus and more floral influence on the white pepper and mineral reduction-inflected nose. The sleek, intense and attractively textured medium-weight flavors possess a bracing salinity on the agreeably dry, chiseled and well-focused finale that is just a bit firmer. Lovely. *Outstanding!*"

91 points Wine Advocate
"Perfumed and charming, the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons bursts with aromas of orange blossom, crisp apricot, pear and freshly baked bread. Medium-bodied, satiny and vibrant, with bright acids and a saline finish, it's one of the more demonstrative wines in the range. One of the reference points for the region, Benoît Droin's immensely dependable wines are among the most consistent in the region. As I've written before, 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 chemical 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. The 2020s from Droin are charming, classically proportioned wines that will offer broad and pleasurable drinking windows."

90 points Wine Spectator
"Round, boasting peach, melon, floral and underlying lemon flavors. Harmonious and charming, this has a juiciness that offsets the chalky feel on the finish."