Jean Paul & Benoît Droin Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2022/2024

Jean Paul & Benoît Droin Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2022 is a prestigious white Burgundy, known for balancing Chablis's classic mineral freshness with the opulence and power typical of the 2022 vintage.

The Wine Advocate
RP 93

Reviewed by: William Kelley

The 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre is quite powerful this year, offering aromas of ripe orchard fruit mixed with white flowers, toasted nuts and oyster shell, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, satiny and harmonious palate with an elegantly muscular profile.

Benoît Droin's extremely reliable wines are among the most consistent in the region and, to my palate, the combination of Diam closures and élevages using recently used barrels and occasionally new wood (though only up to 10%) means these wines need a few years in bottle to show their best. Still, everything invariably integrates to impressive effect, and the wines age very gracefully. Viticulture is conventional on this 26-hectare domaine; however, the soils are worked mechanically and synthetic treatments are kept to a minimum. Harvest is early and partly mechanised, followed by fermentation and maturation in stainless steel and wood, in proportions that vary by cuvée.

With an impressive score of 95 points, James Suckling describes the Jean Paul & Benoît Droin Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2022 as a truly exciting wine. 

On the nose it stands out for the vibrancy of lemon curd and slate notes, complemented by nuances of sea breeze, spice and a light touch of caramel. 

On the palate it's a ripe, powerful white, supported by firm structure and remarkable length.

The critic emphasises the precision and rocky character of the tasting, defining it as a unique fusion of Chablis's classic mineral essence and the opulence of the great Côte d'Or Chardonnays, raising this Premier Cru to the quality level of many of the region's Grands Crus.