2010 Chablis Les Clos
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Tasting notes
Droin’s 2010 Chablis Les Clos is pure silk on the palate. Nothing really stands out, so exceptional is the wine’s overall balance. Stylistically, this is one of the brighter wines in the lineup, but the fruit has so much presence that the minerality and acidity are pretty much buried. A soft, perfumed finish rounds things out in style. In 2010, Droin’s Clos is all class and elegance. This is going to be a fascinating wine to follow over the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2015+. Once again, my tasting with Benoit Droin was one of the highlights of my trip to Chablis.Vintage 2011 was characterized by an early, easy and even flowering, which resulted in a generous crop. August rains bloated the grapes, which turned out to be a bit of an issue, as the harvest was several weeks earlier than normal. Droin began bringing in his 2011s on August 31st, three full weeks earlier than 2010. Droin describes 2011 as having lower acidity than 2010 and being better than 2005, 2006 and 2009 in a style that sits in between 2003 and 2007, if that makes sense. Droin’s 2011 are quite strong across the board, even if they lack the visceral thrill of the very best years. Personally, I prefer the 2010s, which I loved the minute I first tasted them from tank last year. The wines have a combination of fruit and acidity that is striking. Droin doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention in the press, but in my opinion, this is one of the very finest producers in Chablis. I have also had great luck with older bottles, as these are typically wines that age beautifully. Importer: Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Bright, pale yellow-green. Knockout nose combines lime, lemon, white flowers, subtle smoky minerality and toast. Sweet on entry, then chewy, saline and tight in the middle, with strong limey acidity and a crushed stone element keeping the fruit under wraps today. As backward as this is today, its silky, palate-staining texture already impresses. The mounting, very dry finish features outstanding lift. Like Droin's 2010 Valmur, this should really be cellared for a decade and should last a long time.
Fine and concentrated and very firm but such ripeness that it really is different from most Chablis. Great stuff! (JR)
(50% barriques ): Enticing greenish-yellow color. Aromas of orange peel, smoke and flowers quickly shut down in the glass. Intensely flavored and powerful, with a slightly exotic quality to the high-pitched soft citrus flavors. Strong minerally acidity on the back half gives this wine excellent tension and grip. Conveys a chewy impression of extract, with a smoky silex note in the deep background. This youthfully taut wine should enjoy a slow evolution in bottle.