2019 Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
Community Tasting Note
csimm wrote:
Thursday, September 16, 2021 - Another exceptionally powerful showing, with a flex of yellow citrus that commands the palate and delivers a serious dollop of viscous fruit flavor. Still blocky in cadence and texture, this is the Grand Cru in the Droin lineup that will need the most time to unfurl. It’s a bit wild right now by Chablis standards, with the perception of wood and alcohol lingering on the finish.
This lacks some of the finesse and complexity (which is masked by sheer oomph right now) that the Clos and Grenouilles exhibit. It’s potentially a stunner with a handful of years in bottle. Right now, its “wow” comes from its potent brawn and intensity and less from its artistry.
I decanted this wine for a few hours, which helped immensely, making it a “final sips were the best” type of wine at the moment. If you just can’t help yourself to bust open a bottle, treat this like a big Napa Cab. Decant and keep this at cooler cellar temperature for 3-5+ hours before consumption. 93-94+ points. Hold until 2025+. DIAM closure.
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4 comments have been posted
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Comment posted by JohnnyBark:
9/27/2021 10:28:00 AM - Fantastic note. I recently bought a spread of Droin ‘19 and it’s a new wine to the arsenal. It’s great to note the decant, I never do that with my whites, but it’s a perfect way to get a better look into this wines future.
Comment posted by csimm:
9/27/2021 10:37:00 AM - 2019 is a great year for Chablis and the Droin lineup is super solid. The Grand Crus are especially well done this vintage. The Valmur seems to be flexing the most right now. Les Clos and Grenouille are super elevated and have a decent amount of accessibility, even in youth. The Valmur is the brute of the bunch but I'm certain its power will yield to more finessed flavors in the coming years. Now that Droin uses DIAM, holding for a few years with confidence is a nice feeling. As mentioned, I personally think decanting Droin's wines are a good idea, as this house uses a bit of wood that needs to blow off a bit (as opposed to Louis Michel who uses no oak).
Comment posted by JohnnyBark:
12/11/2021 8:30:00 PM - Just opened my first one tonight and day’yumm! This is some ultra-solid juice. My buddy and I were perplexed at the youth, liveliness, acid, fruit, etc. This was exceptional with oysters and sushi. First time with this producer and wow, so happy to have a couple extras.
Comment posted by csimm:
12/12/2021 9:07:00 AM - Hey JohnnyBark! I’m so glad it worked out. I’m always hesitant to specifically recommend wines to people just cuz of the subjectivity of it all, but that’s great! The Valmur’s drive really makes it compelling in my opinion. With the DIAM closure, it should have no issue with some short term cellaring... though I do like how fresh the ‘19 Droins are now!