The 2022 Chablis Premier Cru "Vaillons" from Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin is a compelling example of classic Burgundy Chardonnay. Sourced from the acclaimed “Vaillons” Premier Cru vineyard, this wine is made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. The 2022 vintage benefited from a warm and balanced growing season, yielding wines with concentration, freshness and vivid aromatics. Droin, a family domaine with centuries of tradition, is known for its attentive, terroir-driven vinification, emphasising gentle pressing and stainless steel or neutral oak to preserve purity and minerality.
Chablis is situated in northern Burgundy, where the cool climate and distinctive Kimmeridgian soils, rich in marine fossils and limestone, impart a signature flinty character to the wines. The region’s history dates back to Roman times, but its worldwide reputation for elegant, mineral whites blossomed from the nineteenth century onwards. Premier Cru vineyards like Vaillons benefit from south and southeast exposures on gentle slopes, resulting in grapes with excellent ripeness while retaining bright acidity.
This Chablis Premier Cru shines alongside seafood and shellfish, especially oysters, scallops or langoustines, where its pronounced acidity and saline edge enhance the natural sweetness of the seafood. For a regional pairing, consider “jambon persillé” – Burgundy’s classic parsleyed ham – or delicate dishes such as sole meunière. Goat’s cheese, especially Crottin de Chavignol, will also harmonise beautifully with this wine’s vibrant fruit and chalky minerality.
Serve this wine at 10-12°C to best showcase its aromatic finesse and taut structure. Decanting is not necessary, but allowing the wine a few minutes in the glass will let its nuanced citrus, green apple and oyster shell notes emerge. Enjoy over the next five to eight years for optimal freshness and complexity.
