Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin : Chablis 1er cru "Montée de Tonnerre" 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Chablis 1er Cru "Montée de Tonnerre" 2023 Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin

Tasting

Colour
White in colour, it reveals a beautiful pale golden hue, typical of its terroir.

Nose
Wonderfully complex, it expresses aromas of lime zest, gooseberry and pear. These are joined by nuances of tropical fruit, a subtle smoky reduction, as well as a very pronounced mineral and saline touch.

Palate
Both dense and elegant, it first offers generous stone fruit flavours before evolving towards a lively, refined freshness. The dry, textured finish reveals an almost tannic structure supported by lovely acidity.

Food and wine pairing

Ideal with seafood, this wine particularly enhances oysters, steamed mussels or pan-seared scallops. It also pairs beautifully with fish or white meats in creamy sauces, tarragon-seasoned poultry, as well as aged cheeses such as Comté, Beaufort, Parmesan or goat cheese.

Service and storage

With great aging potential, this Chablis 1er Cru "Montée de Tonnerre" 2023 can be enjoyed from 2028 until around 2045.

Other characteristics

This dry white wine has a very low residual sugar level of 1.5 g/l, along with a pH of 3.29 and a total acidity of 3.68 g/l, ensuring remarkable tension despite the heat of the year.

The mineral and complex expression of a great white Chablis wine

The estate

Founded in 1620, the Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin estate stands among the historic figures of Burgundy. Located in the heart of Chablis, the estate spans approximately 26 hectares across the appellation's most prestigious terroirs. Today, Benoît Droin represents the thirteenth or fourteenth generation at the helm of the estate, having succeeded his father in 1999. He brings a philosophy focused on soil respect and minimal-intervention winemaking, notably limiting the use of new oak to allow the purity and minerality of each plot to shine through.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the renowned Premier Cru climat Montée de Tonnerre, located in Chablis. The estate cultivates 1.76 hectares of vines aged 40 to 45 years here, spread across the Chapelot and Côte de Bréchain sub-sectors. Facing west and southwest, these plots lie on shallow soils of Kimmeridgian marly limestone, crossed by veins of blue clay. The vineyard is managed using sustainable farming practices, with regular soil tillage and strict yield control.

The vintage

The year 2023 stood out for its particularly warm conditions and exceptional sunshine. After a frost episode in early April disrupted the development of certain vines, the season stabilised. The end of August and the month of September were marked by intense heat, accelerating berry ripening. To preserve the freshness and natural acidity of the grapes, harvesting began very early, in the first days of September.

Winemaking and aging

For this Chablis 1er Cru "Montée de Tonnerre" 2023, the grapes are hand-harvested. After gentle pneumatic pressing and a few hours of cold settling, fermentation begins thanks to indigenous yeasts. It takes place 75% in stainless steel tanks and 25% in French oak barrels. The wine then undergoes aging for around ten months, split between tanks (60%) and oak barrels (40%, including 20% new oak), during which malolactic fermentation occurs.