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Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons

Chablis Vaillons

Premier Cru

Service

  • Cellaring

    Optimal consumption: 3 to 8 years

    Ageing potential: 10 years

  • Tasting temperature

    13°C (53°F)

Grape variety

Chardonnay

Vineyard

Site: very close to the village of Chablis, on the south west side. It is one of the 17 main Premiers Crus due to its excellent exposure and kimmeridge soil concentration, giving it the easily recognizable character of Chablis.

History & tradition: in the sixties, when the Chablis vineyards were all abandoned, Robert Drouhin recognized the potential of this region which had been ravaged by the phylloxera disease a century before. He was one of the first Burgundy propriétaires who set about revitalizing the area. 

Soil: the Kimmeridgian limestone contains millions of tiny marine fossils embedded in a kind of whitish mortar which may have been once the bottom of the sea... hundreds of million years ago. This marine origin gives the wines of Chablis their unique flavour.

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Tasting

by Véronique Boss-Drouhin

A dry and brisk wine, typical of Chablis. Brilliant yellow-green colour with green reflections. On the nose mineral and complex aromas are reminiscent of lemon and white flower, together with vegetal hints such as asparagus or artichoke and marine notes. On the palate, the first impression is clear-cut and sharp. Long on the aftertaste, with fruity as well as mineral flavours; becomes slightly honey-scented when the wine is more evolved.

Vintage

The vagaries of the 2021 vintage have greatly affected yields, resulting in one of the smallest harvests Burgundy has ever seen. The whites are less opulent than previous vintages; they are well-balanced with lovely aromatics without excessive extravagance.

Vintage review

Winemaking

Supply: this wine comes from grapes harvested on some parcels of the Drouhin Family Properties as well as from grapes and musts purchased from supply partners according to rigorous specifications.

Harvest: grapes harvested by hands in open-work crates. If necessary, a careful sorting is proceeded.

Vinification: slow pressing of the whole bunch in a pneumatic press. The juice of the last press is separated from the free run-juice. The juice ferments in stainless-steel vats after a little settling.

Ageing: in stainless-steel vat during 8 to 10 months.

Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.