Benoit Droin Chablis
Benoit Droin is one of those producers that flies under the radar. Year in and year out I’ve found his wines among the best being produced in the region and brought you some fantastic opportunities to acquire them. This year is no exception!
This year, while I was not able to meet with Benoit at his Domaine due to a grueling Champagne tasting schedule, I did make time to taste the 2021’s at Chablis hot spot Chablis Winenot.
The 2021 freshness and mouth watering acidity that I crave is captured in the Droin Chablis is something I worry is slipping away. Twenty-five years ago, I cut my teeth on this particular Chablis profile and it’s something I crave.
For fear of sounding like a broken recorde, you’ll recall from all of my previous writings about 2021, the vintage got off to a very tough start when the region suffered some of the worst frost anyone can remember. Yields were devastated right out of the gate. As the growing season continued, the plants struggled. However, with the small amount of fruit on the vines they were able to get it ripe, although it was a lot of work to get there..
I’m impressed with the cool quality that both Vaulorent and the Monte de Milieu showed. The typical citrus leaning nose was on display along with some subtle hints of sea breeze. In the mouth, I found both to be very straight, with medium bodied weight and a very energetic mouthfeel. The wines really shined on the finish; as you swallowed, the lip smacking acidity could be felt in the sides of your jaw, which pulled you in for another sip. Impressive is an understatement. These are first rate indeed… as Burghound says “one to look for.”
Benoit Droin Chablis
Smoky white orchard fruit aromas enjoy added breadth in the form of acacia blossom, citrus rind and quinine. The exceptionally rich and solidly voluminous medium-bodied flavors display focused power and a subtle minerality on the clean, dry and more complex finale where a touch of wood appears. I very much like the persistence, and this unusually powerful effort should amply repay 6 to 10 years of keeping. Also one to look for.
- Burghound, 93
2021 Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Monte de Milieu
Interestingly given the propensity of Mont de Milieu to be notably ripe and exotic, here the nose features cooler aromas of spiced tea, citrus confit, white peach, quinine and wet stone. There is better size, weight and density to the solidly powerful larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract on the surprisingly long finish where a touch of wood eventually emerges. This promising effort is potentially excellent and a wine that always seems to develop well if given a chance. One to look for.
- Burghound, 93
2021 Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Montee de Tonnerre
A background trace of wood frames the ripe white orchard fruit, wet stone and spice-infused aromas that display ample Chablis typicity. A highly sophisticated mouthfeel characterizes the solidly dense middleweight flavors where an almost pungent minerality adds a sense of lift to the attractively dry and sneaky long finale. This youthfully austere beauty is a combination of power and refinement that should also be capable of aging effortlessly.
- Burghound, 93
