Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2021

Jean-Paul Benoît Droin Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2021 is a prestigious white, widely recognised for its elegance and classic mineral profile. It comes from one of the most "classic" vintages of the last decade in Chablis, marked by freshness and vibrant acidity.

The Wine Advocate
RP 93

Reviewed by: William Kelley

The Droins' parcel of Blanchot is being replanted, so the grand cru range begins with the 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir, a pretty, elegant wine evoking vine flower, white peach and waxy lemon rind. Medium to full-bodied, smooth and satiny, with vibrant acidity and a pure, delicate profile, it's showing very well.

As I've written before, Benoît Droin's extremely reliable wines are among the region's most consistent, and to my palate the combination of Diam closures and élevage using recently used and sometimes new barrels (though only up to 10%) means these wines need a few years in bottle to show their best. Still, everything invariably comes together to impressive effect, and the wines age very gracefully. Viticulture at this 26-hectare domaine is conventional, but the soils are worked mechanically and synthetic treatments are kept to a minimum. Harvesting is early and partly mechanised, followed by fermentation and ageing in stainless steel and wood, in proportions that vary by cuvée. In 2021, Droin chose to pick quite early, in one go, reporting good sanitary conditions that year, with wines that remind him of a richer, fleshier version of 2007.

Published: 7 September 2023

Jean-Paul Benoît Droin Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2021 received 94 points from James Suckling, a very positive assessment.

According to the critic, it's a precise, expressive wine with aromas of stone fruit and green apple, joined by a subtle iodine touch recalling oyster shell. On the palate it shows a strong mineral component, supported by well-integrated acidity that balances its intensity, giving an elegant, classic profile.

Suckling also stresses the typical purity of Chablis, with a persistent, saline finish that lengthens the experience and invites another sip. This score is in line with other benchmark reviews, reinforcing the idea that Vaudésir is one of the highlights of this vintage in the Droin family's portfolio.