Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru ‘Hommage a Louis’ 2021

One small change to note this year is the change in name from the Grand Cru ‘Les Clos’ to Grand Cru ‘Hommage à Louis’. This comes about because of an administrative discrepancy.  The French customs claim that this parcel is part Les Clos and part Valmur, which is at odds with the INAO, the appellation authority, which has declared it Les Clos since 1938. Apparently, it will take a little time to resolve the dispute, but in the meantime Benoît refuses to split the parcel and has instead renamed it after Louis Droin, who planted the disputed parcel in 1920, to appease the customs. Classic French bureaucracy gone mad! Importer Notes.

Note: from a 1.4 ha holding in Les Clos

Like the Grenouilles, there is enough wood to merit mentioning but not enough to overshadow the cool, airy and very fresh aromas of oyster shell, white flower and ocean breeze. The succulent yet powerful and delineated flavors brim with both minerality and dry extract, all wrapped in a driving bitter lemon-inflected and youthfully austere finale. This is a lovely combination of power and refinement that should amply repay a decade plus of cellaring. Drink 2030+. 92-95 Points. Sweet spot. Allen Meadows, Burghound.com.