2023 J-P Droin Chablis GC Hommage a Louis

The 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Hommage a Louis has the best bouquet amongst the Grand Crus from Droin. Very vibrant and intense, with crushed limestone and flint. The palate is well balanced with melon, grapefruit, orange rind and quince on the entry, building nicely towards a slightly oily-textured finish. I can see this aging well in bottle - more complexity on the finish compared to say, the Valmur or Grenouilles. 94 points

I believe that the authorities have now confirmed that all of Benoit Droin’s plots are properly within the boundaries of Les Clos, though Benoit will continue to use the Hommage epithet alongside the vineyard name. the 2023 Hommage a Louis has a clear and classic nose after the pale lemon colour. Brilliant balanced juice, the Clos transcends the vintage. All white fruit of course but some crunch to the white apple fruit. Juicy and generous but still with a fine firm classic core. Fabulous finish. 5* 94-97 points, Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy.com, June 2024