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Jean Paul & Benoit DroinBourgogne

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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2021
Country
FranceFrance
Region
Bourgogne
Type
White
Producer
Jean Paul & Benoit Droin
Winemaker
Benoit Droin
Grapes
Chardonnay100%
Alcohol
13% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

White

Acidity
Body
Sweetness
Alcohol13% vol

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · White

Acidity

Level 3 of 5 — Fresh and balanced – like a green apple

Below typical (4.1) · Typical: average of 434 whites at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced This wine
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Versatile at the table: grilled fish, poultry, warm salads. Moderate chilling lifts the freshness.

Wine profile · White

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

Above typical (3.1) · Typical: average of 436 whites at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · White

Sweetness

Level 1 of 5 — Dry – no sugar you can taste, just fruit

In line with typical (1.1) · Typical: average of 453 whites at Vinogrande

What it is

Sweetness comes from the grape's natural sugar that did not turn into alcohol (residual sugar). A dry wine has almost none; a Port or a late-harvest wine has a lot.

Where you feel it

On the tip of your tongue, right from the first sip, and as a richer, oilier feel in the mouth. Acidity can mask it.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the sweetness category recorded on the product sheet (dry, off-dry…).

It is measured in grams of residual sugar per litre. General EU bands: dry up to about 4 g/L, off-dry up to 12, medium-sweet up to 45, sweet above that. On our scale: under 4 g/L = 1, up to 12 = 2, up to 45 = 3, up to 100 = 4, more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Dry: no noticeable sugar This wine
  2. 2Off-dry: a touch of sweetness
  3. 3Medium-sweet: clearly sweet
  4. 4Sweet: rich and fruity
  5. 5Very sweet: luscious

In practice, for this wine

Goes with the whole meal, from savoury to mildly spicy. Avoid sweet desserts: they make it taste bitter.

Wine profile · White

Alcohol 13% vol

Level 3 of 5 — Balanced – soft warmth on the finish

In line with typical (3.1) · Typical: average of 453 whites at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 13% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol This wine
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more

In practice, for this wine

Classic balance, at ease with most dishes.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 10–12 °CFridge 2 h · take it out 10 min before serving
GlassWhite-wine glass

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Description

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 AdvocateRP 93Reviewed 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.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.