Chablis 2006 - Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin

Benoît Droin continues to impress and despite his youthful appearance, he speaks with the wisdom that can only come from generations of Chablisien know-how being passed down by a combination of intuition, osmosis and hard-work. Benoît picked quickly between 12th and 14th September and was thus presented with the perfect ingredients with which to work. This is a man who takes the long-term view and has a clear idea of what he is trying to achieve from which we can only assume that his goal is terrific wines of purity, elegance and accessibility. Combine this with some great value pricing and these wines will bring enormous pleasure to those wise enough to snap them up.

Dry and racy with lifting acidity and mineral vitality. Refined, with a long backdrop of minerality and citric grapefruit qualities. Open and juicy on the palate but a long steely finish lends it a classic air. Drink 2008-2013. - armit

(from 6 different climats that saw 15% of new and one year old wood). A very subtle hint of wood frames ripe, airy and spicy floral aromas that possess rich yet precise and intense flavors that also manage to maintain a fine sense of detail on the vibrant and punchy finish. I particularly like the underlying sense of tension here. 2010+ - 89-91 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

Lemon sherbet and white flowers on the nose, pretty and approachable. Quite citric in style, slightly less exuberant than the Vaillons at this stage, but really quite refined and elegant. Full of zip, direction and purity. Drink 2009-2014. - armit

(from a .80 ha parcel of 50 year old vines aged in 40% wood with none of it new). A spicy and moderately exotic nose of poached pear, white peach, mango and apricot leads to rich, full and round flavors that are admirably concentrated as there is plenty of dry extract present, all wrapped in a citrusy finish. This is not quite as complex as one might hope and rather forward but it is well-balanced and the depth may very well come in time. 2010+ - 89-91 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

Brazen nose with real nuances of marzipan and very stony and steely. Broad and imposing with slatey mineral touches and delicate stone fruit flavours. Really tight and muscular and potentially very fine. Drink 2010-2016. - armit

(20 to 25% of new, 1, 2 and 3 year old wood). A more classic nose of green fruit, iodine and white flower aromas introduces classy and refined flavors that offer excellent detail on the saline and oyster shell inflected flavors that possess really terrific intensity and plenty of underlying tension on the balanced and long finish. The best wine to this point that positively oozes minerality. 2011+ - 90-92 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

Notes of almond, nuts and toastiness, a real touch of the Côte de Beaune about this one. On the palate this is dry, with rich white peach and vibrant acidity overlayed with musky, smoky notes. Expressive and youthfully exuberant but with time, the minerality will reassert itself. Drink 2009-2016. - armit

(from 30 year old vines aged in 50% wood, some of which is new). Here there is better integration of the wood as manifests itself more as a pain grillé note that serves to highlight the notably ripe peach, apricot, pear and seashore aromas that merge into rich, full, intense and powerful flavors that really coat and stain the palate on the detailed and hugely long finish. It’s interesting that as big and muscular as this wine is, it remains elegant and refined. A qualitative choice. 2011+ - 91-93 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

From a deep soil, this is rich and fleshy, almost flattering and welcoming. Lovely, complete and peachy with beautiful fragrances. Refined and racy but the middle palate has some real weight and “gras”. This could also be enjoyed young but has all the components for a long and distinguished life. Drink 2009-2018. - armit

(from 57 year old vines aged in 60% wood). Subtle if not invisible wood that is also more of a pain grillé character than overt wood spice and vanilla sets off the very ripe orchard fruit aromas and there is also a touch of it on the impressively concentrated and big-boned flavors that are generous and brimming with dry extract that coats the mouth on the oyster shell-infused finish. This is a seriously impressive wine and I really like the sense of harmony here that should permit this to age out to a decade. 2011+ - 91-94 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

Large scale, big impact wine. This offers notes of smoke, sea shells and a salty, tanginess. There is real concentration and volume here and a sense of grandeur. Impressive and noble, the middle palate evolves with fine white peach fruit flavours and lifted mineral notes. Precise and very long. Drink 2011-2020+. - armit

(50% wood, approximately one-third of which was new). Moderate but not intrusive wood mixes with high-toned and elegant white flower, mineral and saline aromas that give way to very rich, full and generous flavors that are also impressively concentrated and textured as they are blessed with ample dry extract and superb finishing intensity on the explosive citrus-infused finish. This is built on its minerality and while it’s not as tight as usual, this will still be good for a decade’s worth of aging potential. Worth a look. 2011+ - 91-94 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

(from a .80 ha parcel of 50 year old vines aged in 40% wood with none of it new). This is a completely different expression with a background note of wood toast and exotic floral aromas giving way to extraordinarily rich, full-bodied and dense flavors that possess ample amounts of dry extract and an opulent, generous and sweet finish supported by a firm spine of ripe acidity. This too is very pretty but constructed differently. 2010+ - 91 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

(from 30 year old vines aged in 50% wood, some of which is new). Noticeable though not intrusive wood that manifests itself as pain grillé and vanilla notes and frames both the nose and the very ripe but pure flavors that are rich, sweet and deliver plenty of volume and sap, particularly on the oyster shell-infused finish. This is a big wine yet one crafted in an understated style. 2011+ - 92 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

(from 50 year old vines aged in 50% wood but only a “small” percentage was new). Here the nose is finer, purer and cooler with lovely sea breeze, green fruit and algae nuances that lead to reserved, steely and wonderfully intense middle weight flavors that culminate in an austere and palate staining finish. This is really classy juice that has a touch more overall harmony of expression. I quite like this. 2011+ - 92 points, Allen Meadows' Burghound

Prices - All prices are quoted In Bond (excluding Duty & VAT) and are per case of 12 bottles unless otherwise stated.

Delivery - The majority of the 2006 wines offered will not be here until February 2008. On arrival, we can either:

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