FRANCE

DOMAINE JP & BENOIT DROIN,  AOC CHABLIS

“Over the last five or six years, Benoît Droin has really ratched up SYLVAIN PATAILLE, Sylvain Pataille begun his adventure with wine early  the quality. I cannot exaggerate how often Droin’s wines end up the best of the flight during the annual “Burgfest” blind tastings. Again, and again, they shine against stiff competition” Neil Martin Vinous Media, August 2018.

It may seem that the wines of J.P. & Benoît Droin need no introduction – their distinctive, stylish labels displaying the range of 1er and Grand Cru bottlings, look familiar to many of us. Without doubt, this is a well-established Domaine, firmly positioned among the leading producers in Chablis.
But, as always, we like to look behind the labels... In this case, discovering a young, energetic winemaker, who not only follows in the footsteps of his father, but also puts his own stamp on the wines he makes. Benoît is the 13th generation carrying on the family legacy and making wines in Chablis. He farms 26 hectares of Chardonnay, with parcels in nine 1er Crus on both banks of Serein, five Grand Crus, Chablis Village mostly on Kimmeridgian limestone and Petit Chablis. Searching for site expression, precision, and freshness, he reduced proportion of the wood, reserving the new oak barrels for the Grand Cru bottlings.

Thomas is a third generation wine grower in Chablis. The winery is based in Courgis where, apart from Pico’s family, the only other grower to bottle their wine themselves are Pico’s mentors, Alice and Olive de Moor.
Thomas is one of the few producers in Chablis to farm his vineyards organically and harvest by hand. Organic certification (a real challenge in Chablis!) was completed in 2009.

Pico’s wines are unfiltered and vinified without any added acid or yeast. He lets them ferment naturally, and uses just a little Sulphur for stabilization.