Joseph Drouhin : Chablis 1er cru "Vaillons" 2021

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Chablis Premier Cru "Vaillons" 2021 by Joseph Drouhin

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a bright yellow color with green highlights, reflecting its youthful character.

Nose

The nose displays lovely mineral complexity, with aromas of lemon and white flowers. Plant-like notes of asparagus and artichoke mingle with marine nuances that evoke the terroir’s geological origins.

Palate

The attack is crisp and precise, typical of cool-climate expressions. The palate harmoniously combines fruity and mineral flavors, leading into a lingering finish. With age, the wine develops subtle honeyed notes while retaining its mineral structure.

Food and wine pairings

This Chablis Premier Cru pairs beautifully with oysters, grilled shrimp, crab salad, or poached salmon. It also complements, with elegance, herb-roasted poultry, turkey, or chicken piccata. For cheese, it matches harmoniously with a creamy Brie or an aged Comté. For vegetarian fare, this wine elevates an asparagus and goat cheese tart, a vegetable risotto, or a fresh salad with a citrus vinaigrette.

Serving and cellaring

The Chablis Premier Cru "Vaillons" 2021 is best enjoyed at 13°C. This wine can be appreciated now and will continue to evolve through around 2029, with cellaring potential extending to 2031.

A Chablis true to the signature minerality of its Burgundy appellation

The estate

Founded in 1880 in Beaune, the House of Joseph Drouhin remains an independent, family-owned estate, now led by the fourth generation: Frédéric, Véronique, Philippe, and Laurent Drouhin. The estate spans nearly one hundred hectares across some ninety appellations throughout Burgundy, including thirty-eight hectares in Chablis. A pioneer in sustainable viticulture, the House converted its entire vineyard to organic and biodynamic farming as early as 1988, earning official certification in 2009. Véronique Boss-Drouhin, oenologist and guardian of the house style, was awarded the Légion d'Honneur in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding work.

The vineyard

Premier Cru Vaillons is located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Chablis, on the southwestern slope of the appellation. This plot benefits from ideal exposure and lies on Kimmeridgian limestone soils, a sedimentary rock containing millions of tiny marine fossils—evidence of an oceanic past dating back several hundred million years. This unique geological composition gives the wine its hallmark minerality and saline notes. In the 1960s, Robert Drouhin played a pioneering role in revitalizing the Chablis vineyard, then almost abandoned following the devastation caused by phylloxera.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy was shaped by exceptionally challenging weather conditions. A devastating frost episode during the night of April 5 sent temperatures plunging from 5°C to -7°C within a few hours, severely impacting the emerging buds. Some plots suffered losses ranging from 50% to 100%, resulting in one of the smallest harvests in the region’s recent history. Despite these disastrous yields, the surviving grapes reached fine ripeness, with a satisfying balance between sugars and acidity. This natural concentration made it possible to produce harmonious, elegant wines with remarkable aromatic precision and moderate alcohol levels.

Vinification and aging

The Chablis Premier Cru "Vaillons" 2021 is made from grapes hand-harvested into perforated crates, sourced both from the family estate’s parcels and from grapes and musts purchased from partners selected under a rigorous set of specifications. After careful sorting when necessary, the whole clusters are slowly pressed in a pneumatic press. The last-press juices are kept separate from the free-run juice. After light settling, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. Aging is carried out in stainless steel tanks for eight to ten months, preserving the mineral and fruit purity that is characteristic of the Chablis terroir.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.