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An enthusiastically floral-suffused nose reflects additional notes of pear, apple, matchstick and just sliced citrus. There is first-rate density to the surprisingly powerful and overtly stony flavors that possess excellent size, weight and length on the balanced and firm finale. This too possesses fine development potential, which is just as well as more depth is needed.Burghound | 91-93 BHAn attractive lemon yellow, with a slightly riper nose, and plenty of stuffing. Ripe citrus rather than yellow plum. Plenty of energy on the palate, more weight, perhaps less finesse than some, but a well constructed Puligny none the less with notable persistence. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMThe 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Les Truffières 1er Cru takes a slightly different tack to the other Premier Crus from Sauzet. It has touches of brioche and almond on the nose, a hint of lanolin and later, frangipani. The palate is powerful and well balanced. This mouth-filling Puligny doesn’t quite deliver the same tension and mineralité as the previous vintage or some of the other Premier Crus this year. Maybe it was just picked a day late?Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru has another riveting bouquet with notes of white peach, orange pith and crushed limestone. It is intense but very elegant and delineated. The palate has exquisite balance and a little more rondeur compared to others. A touch more spiciness emerges toward the finish, with perhaps the longest aftertaste. This is superb.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMHere too the nose is cool and airy with its aromas of smoked apple, acacia blossom, crushed fennel and citrus confit. The richer and more concentrated, though less mineral-driven, middle weight flavors coat the palate with sappy dry extract on the clean, dry, delineated and balanced finale. This is really quite classy and well-worth your interest.Burghound | 91-94 BHA large block adjacent to Meursault. A fairly pale lemon yellow, with a concentration of solid white fruit on the palate. Significant weight, powerful on the palate, all very much a monolithic block of flavour, some ripe grapefruit at the finish. Weightier perhaps but Benoît’s style here at Sauzet is not for the massive. Two thirds come from 70 year old vines, one third 30. Good acidity to finish. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrières 1er Cru has a compelling strictness and mineralité on the nose, averting the more tropical inclinations of the preceding Champ Gain. It has just a small touch of reduction. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity. There is a patina of oak to be absorbed, but there is real tension and attack in this Les Perrières. This is a concentrated wine that deserves more time in bottle.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMMid lemon yellow, a stony tension to the nose, softer fruit behind that, as we are lower on the slope, with an engaging generous finish, infiltrated by the sense of minerality. Very persistent. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMAn airy and cool nose combines notes of pear and citrus with those of acacia blossom and just sliced citrus. Once again the mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is super-sleek with a beguiling sense of underlying tension that carries over to the saliva-inducing, stony and beautifully delineated finale that isn’t quite as complex or persistent though it’s close.Burghound | 90-92 BH

The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet les Referts 1er Cru shows a little more ripeness and tropical traits than other cuvées from Sauzet. Its bouquet features notes of pineapple, nectarine and citrus peel, yet there remains delineation and mineralité that upholds a sense of Puligny-Montrachet. The palate is well balanced and weighty in the mouth, but I admire the tension and poise. It gradually builds toward the harmonious and subtle spice on the finish. Give this time.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA slighter fuller lemon and lime colour. The bouquet suggests greater density of fruit. A light lick of oak which suits the more clay-based wines. Excellent energy, the oak backing up the fresh vigour of the fruit, and a well-balanced finish. Not the ripest, but quite powerful. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMPungent aromas of moderate reduction and wood toast prevent an assessment of the nose. More interesting are the succulent, round and caressing middle weight flavors that possess solid volume and power that seems to build on the compact, sappy and well-balanced finale. Fine development potential here.Burghound | 91-93 BH

All Grenache sourced mostly from the Chapouin lieu-dit with a splash from Janasse, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Chaupin shows a medium ruby hue followed by a pretty, perfumed, remarkably elegant profile. It has a core of sweet red and black berry fruits, absolutely heavenly Provençal aromatics of herbes de Provence, black olive, pepper, and flowers, plus ripe, velvety tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Partially destemmed and aged 12 months in 70% foudre and 30% demi-muids, this heavenly 2023 will drink beautifully over the coming two decades. There are roughly 1,500 cases produced. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAs always, a pure Grenache Noir sourced from sandy soils, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is a terrific effort. Mingling aromas of wild herbs, dark berries, baked mulberries and garrigue, it avoids the excesses of over-ripeness or overt spice, instead delivering a beautifully controlled expression. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it displays impressive concentration and a sense of coiled energy, its muscular core of fruit framed by a fine chassis of ripe tannins. The finish is long, delicately spiced and impressively persistent. This will reward patience, as time in bottle should bring greater harmony and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPHuge in scale, with a potent, warm, sappy profile. Its opulent rush of ripe cherry and licorice is well-framed by polished, firming tannins. Alder, anise and lavender smoke stream through; the finish is well-supported and reined in. Concentrated and broad-shouldered. This is for fans of the hedonistic style yet still shows drive and complexity. Best from 2027 through 2040. 3,333 cases made, 112 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA solid, well-composed and flavorful red with cherries, sweet strawberries, warm herbs and a hint of baked orange. Full-bodied with fine tannins giving a refined texture. Juicy and driven, with a long, flavorful and well-structured finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSStrawberry compote, raspberry jam, licorice and crushed violets introduce the expressive 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin, with ripe black cherry adding more complexity. Neatly structured through firm tannins, the full-bodied 2023 packs ample flavor concentration and density, doubling down with blackberry flavors and garrigue on the long, savory conclusion. This won’t need as much time to come around as the Vieilles Vignes from the same vintage tasted alongside.Vinous Media | 93 VM

With the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Hommage à Louis, the Droins have regained the right to designate Les Clos on the label from the INAO, but they’re also continuing with the Hommage à Louis moniker. Whatever its name, the wine is lovely, opening in the glass with notes of green apple, peach and lemon mingled with iodine and toasted nuts, followed by a full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that’s deep, dense and muscular.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Hommage à 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.Vinous Media | 94 VMI believe that the authorities have now confirmed that all of Benoît Droin’s plots are properly within the boundaries of Les Clos, though Benoît will continue to use the Hommage epithet alongside the vineyard name. the 2023 Hommage à 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. Drink from 2028-2040. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMSmoke and light wood nuances set off cool floral and spicy aromas of freshly grated citrus, white peach, honeysuckle and tidal pool wisps. There is again fine intensity to the dense and stony broad-shouldered flavors that flash fine length on the ever-so-mildly warm finale where a touch of youthful austerity slowly emerges. This refreshing effort is so rich that it should drink reasonably well young but the better choice would be to allow it to age for at least a few years as it could also use more overall depth.Burghound | 93 BH

This exquisite wine enchants with a complex nose of lime peel, gooseberry and pear with hints of smoky reduction and a salty mineral edge. The wine is dense and compact, and its weight is perfectly balanced by racy acidity. The grapes are from 1.76ha in the blue clay soils of the Côte de Bréchain. They are crushed and fermented in tank and cask (25%). In the view of Benoît Droin, this is a ’super premier cru’ – grand cru-adjacent, like Chambolle Amoureuses and Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECAromas of citrus blossom, orange oil, white flowers, iodine and honey introduce the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered wine that’s rich and dense. It’s a strong effort with good cellaring potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2023 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a more austere bouquet of light fumé notes mixed with petrichor–a more uncompromising aromatics than the Vaulorent, one for hardcore Chablis-lovers. The palate is taut and fresh, displaying good body and density. Very pure with a strict and persistent finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis too possesses just enough wood to merit pointing out on the smoky nose of white flowers, wet stone and soft quinine whiffs. The elegant, intense and focused medium-bodied flavors exude evident minerality on the unusually powerful, balanced and precise finale. This is also lovely though with the proviso that it definitely needs to develop better overall depth.Burghound | 91 BHPale in colour, quite strict on the nose. This is so much less exotic than the Mont de Milieu but it has a generous flesh through the middle, more white peach than yellow, but all very well harnessed. Crunchy finish. 30% was made in barrel. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Based on 100% Roussanne from the Vaudieu lieu-dit and aged nine months in 50% new French oak, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a voluptuous, layered beauty offering honeyed orange, ripe stone fruits, brioche, crushed stone, and floral nuances. It has perfectly integrated oak, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a spectacular finish that rivals Beaucastel’s Vieilles Vignes Roussanne. This deep, medium to full-bodied white shows terrific purity and incredible depth, with roughly 125 cases produced. It will evolve beautifully for 20+ years. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDeep pear scents and honeysuckle, then a full-bodied, rich and powerful palate. An opulent wine that’s seen considerable oak influence, making for a finish that’s riven with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, with a very long finish. The acidity and freshness bring some balance, but this will always be a hedonistic treat albeit an elegant one. Limestone soils, fermented and aged in barriques, 50% new.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA stylish, golden-hued white, with a decadent robe of toasty oak around warm, spiced apple and juicy pear. Long and savory despite its opulence, with beautiful density and complexity. Salty intensity and a bitter kick of quinine build toward the finish, expertly offsetting the lushness. Tangy acidity keeps pace throughout. The oak will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2032. 450 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBottled on the morning of my visit, the perfumed 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Vieilles Roussanne unwinds with prominent herbal tea, honeysuckle and a nuance of cedar. Open-knit and concentrated, the full-bodied 2024 carries impeccable freshness all the way through to the sapid close. Roussanne-lovers better line up for this one.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Laurent Lignier has crafted a delicious wine from his holdings in Clos de la Roche, with dark plummy fruit and notes of ground coffee, earth and spice. The texture is serious, dense with tannin and extract, with enough acidity to draw the flavours out on the palate. Yields were tiny – just five barrels instead of the customary 15-20. This wine will begin to open in three to five years and will drink well for decades after that.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECLaurent has not made the special cuvée in 2024. Here there are 5 barrels from 0.90ha, two thirds Monts Luisants, one third Fremières. A fine mid crimson with a slightly weaker rim. The nose is very high class though, with just a little savoury edge to the mineral red fruit, good tension at the finish, maybe a little blueberry, classic Clos de la Roche with quite some staying power. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2025.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2024 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru has an exquisite bouquet that is easily the best that Laurent Lignier conjured this vintage: wonderful redcurrant and raspberry scents, freshly picked roses and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with finely honed tannins, a silver thread of acidity and silky texture that instantly seduces. There is just a tingle of white pepper on the finish that completes a lovely Clos de la Roche. Divine.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMModerate wood influence sets off overtly floral-suffused aromas of wild red berries, spice and a suggestion of wet stone. The succulent, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely sense of underlying tension that adds to the appeal of the powerful, impressively long and well-balanced finale. This is though compact and very firmly structured so at least mid-term patience is recommended.Burghound | 91-94 BH

From Les Chaumes. Mid lemon yellow. The nose is more about vanilla and coconut than fruit at the moment, but there is time. The density is certainly there, though this is a broad based Corton without the seeming minerality of Corton-Charlemagne. But it does seem a little overdone on the oak front. One barrel, one year old wood.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

The 2024 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a pretty bouquet with hints of rose water and apricot, even a hint of quince infusing the citrus fruit. Good delineation, as one comes to expect from this address. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry. Fine grip, the terroir flooding through towards the finish that fans out as a Grand Cru ought to. You can feel the terroir on the aftertaste… as if you’ve just popped a bit of limestone in your mouth!Vinous Media | 95 VMRobin Rapet waited until 22 September to pick the Corton-Charlemagne, and harvested everything, almost 3ha, together. ’Normally, we pick the vines facing southwest, then those facing west. This year they predicted rain, and we picked everything,’ says Rapet, which gives a wine that is at the same time rich, fresh and slightly exotic. The complexity was enhanced by the variety of maturation: one concrete egg, one amphora and one wine globe. Overall, one third of the part in barrel is new, and two-thirds are older barrels.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECEverybody seemed to be picking their Corton-Charlemagne on the same day on the Pernand side, Saturday 21st, because rain threatened. Pale lemon in colour. A little tension showing on the nose which is not exuberant. 60% wood with one third new, plus wineglobe, egg, amphora and foudre. Interesting complexity on the palate, just a little softness in the white fruit through the middle, then stones behind. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

Aromas of fresh citrus zest, pear and peach mingle with notes of white flowers and toasted nuts, introducing Sauzet’s 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Village, a medium- to full-bodied, ample and satiny white with a bright spine of acidity and an elegantly mordant finish. It’s a blend of seven lieux-dits dotted around the appellation, with Benoit Riffault expressing a preference for Les Levrons, below les Réferts, as his favorite.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPPale lemon colour. Less evident fruit on the nose, more closed than the Chassagne, just a question of needing more time. The intensity comes at the back of the palate and extends really well behind. Long, refined yet with a little muscle. Drink from 2029-2032. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Villages comes from the usual 12 parcels around the appellation. There is a pleasant strictness on the petrichor-tinged bouquet, with underlying vanilla pod scents just loitering in the background. The palate is weighty and textural with fine acidity, quite pithy compared to previous vintages, although it does not quite kick on at the finish. But it remains a decent Puligny Village that will drink well for several years.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru comes from a single hectare block. The aromatics leap from the glass with vivacious citrus peel, crushed stone and white flower scents that are beautifully defined. The palate has exquisite balance, a shimmering line of acidity and wonderful poise with a persistent, subtly spiced creamy texture on the finish. I thought the 2023 was outstanding…the 2024 could be even better.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet has turned out very nicely, offering up a reductive bouquet of pear, baking spices, sweet citrus oil, toasted nuts and struck match. Medium- to full-bodied, satiny and suave, with a layered core and a mineral finish, it will offer a broad drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA faint green tint. Very slightly reductive. A little more perfumed afterwards, so there is certainly adequate ripeness here. Fairly generous on the palate, complex, and needing more time. Drink from 2030-2035. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JM

The Puligny Garenne has not fallen clear after a recent stirring. This blocks the nose a little, while nourishing the palate which has impressive depth and length. A little lemony note to the acidity. Probably not a typical note but clearly a promising wine. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne offers up aromas of apple, pear and fresh mint, followed by a medium-bodied, delicate and fine-boned palate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne 1er Cru from the top of the slope has a pretty nose with light orange blossom and apricot scents unfolding with aeration. The palate is leesy on the entry, fine weight, not quite the same tension as some of the other Premier Crus but there is satisfying length. Probably one of the earlier drinking cuvées from Sauzet.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru comes from a single block towards the north part of the vineyard. There is a lovely smokiness on the nose, crushed stone and light sea spray scents deftly translating the pedigree of Combettes. The palate is fresh and sapid on the entry. This is nicely detailed, citrus-fresh towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. It is a Puligny that you really appreciate in retrospect and tempts you back for another sip. The 2023 was great…likewise the follow-up.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is lovely, offering up aromas of honeyed orchard fruits, toasted nuts, white flowers and deftly judged reduction, followed by a full-bodied, ample and satiny palate with exceptional volume and density for the vintage, concluding with a long and expansive finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPMid lemon yellow. A little touch of biscuit on the nose, then a broad swathe of white orchard fruit. Combettes likes a year with a bit more water and this shows in the quality of the 2024. Just the right trace of acidity at the back to keep this in balance, while we benefit from the broad brush of the fruit. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet les Folatières En la Richards 1er Cru was an absolute knockout last year. This vintage is definitely impressive with fine tension and mineralité, a sense of gusto and purpose that shaded the preceding Truffières. The palate is taut and fresh with a keen line of acidity. Detailed with a clever reduction that surfaces on the finish but never defines this wine, this seems very persistent and will repay cellaring. Superb.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières En la Richarde opens in the glass with a generous bouquet of ripe citrus fruits, peach, toasted nuts and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, satiny and suave, it’s deep and layered, with a pleasing sense of completeness and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPPale colour with a faint lime streak. Plenty of tension, more a limestone feel, perhaps less ripe, evidently a little stricter. Quite generous fruit on the palate, even a suggestion of bacon fat, and notable length. This is one of the more backward wines in the stable, but with potential. Needs time. Drink from 2031-2037. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

Mid lemon yellow. Just a little more depth of white orchard fruit. There is noticeably more body on the palate with white stone fruit now and a crisp finish to balance the additional weight of the wine. A good balance between clay and minerals, with a persistent aftertaste. Drink from 2030-2035. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMFrom a parcel planted in the 1980s on 161-49C rootstock, Sauzet’s 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières wafts from the glass with notes of pear, green apple and nutty reduction. Medium-bodied, fine-boned and racy, it’s pure and saline, with a more elegant, refined profile than the chunkier adjacent Réferts.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrières 1er Cru is relatively closed on the nose, more obdurate and minimalist, though with aeration there are touches of cold stone/Alpine stream that you can eke out. The palate is fresh on the entry. Real weight here but it needs a little more tension and mineralité to lift the finish. Maybe that will develop once in bottle? At the moment I just prefer the Hameau de Blagny.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts is richer and more muscular than the Perrières, offering up reductive aromas of pear, sweet citrus fruits and spices. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and satiny, it’s deep and textural, with good persistence on the saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts 1er Cru takes a little time to unfurl on the nose, eventually offering light walnut and flinty aromas that pin it down as Puligny. The palate is well balanced with a twist of orange rind on the entry. Fine weight, very cohesive, this gains momentum and structure towards the finish. Quite a "solid" Puligny, one with substance, one that I would be inclined to cellar for three or four years. Great promise.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMPale lemon yellow with a faint green tint. The bouquet shows proximity to Meursault with a little more flesh. A little touch of biscuity oak. More volume in the mouth, just a little less mineral but still there is a fine vigorous aftertaste. Drink from 2030-2034. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

From a sunny site that benefits from comparatively warm nights, Droin’s 2024 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir delivers aromas of lemon confit, beeswax and peach, mingled with pastry notes, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, textural yet racy palate. Gourmand in profile, it marries the inherent maturity of the site with the taut musculature lent by the cool growing season. Like Vaillons, it derives from a high-maturity site and has turned out very well this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPHere too the wood treatment is reasonably subtle though hardly invisible on the vaguely exotic nose of spicy white and yellow peach, quinine and cool shellfish nuances. The super-sleek and highly refined middle weight flavors are borderline delicate before terminating in a linger, compact and dry-in-the-best sense finish. While this should be capable of rewarding up to a decade of keeping, it’s not so backward that it couldn’t be approached after only 5 or so.Burghound | 91-93 BH35% oak in the blend. Pale in colour and restrained in bouquet. Fresh melons maybe. Good tension on the palate, limestone energy, and fair persistence. An attractive wine though a little less dense than its fellow grands crus. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThe 2024 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru was not too impacted by the hail. It has a tightly wound, petrichor- and Crustacea-tinged bouquet that remains tight-lipped at the moment. The palate is fresh on the entry with citrus peel, clementine and grapefruit notes. It is harmonious, with finely judged acidity and a poised finish. This is a Grand Cru that stays within its means and benefits from that. The 2024 is very fine.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

I’m sad that Vaulorent had to be folded in to this wine, but at only 25 hl/ha, it is understandable. The wine is notably concentrated with apricot pits, Fuji apples and shortbread. The gently sculpting acidity delivers very nice definition.Tim Atkin | 93 TAThe 2024 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume is derived from vines rooted in deep, clay-rich soils and raised in 40% oak, with the remainder matured in stainless steel tanks. Offering aromas of pear, dried flowers and almond paste, it is medium- to full-bodied, satiny and underpinned by tangy acids, concluding with a long, vanillin-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPGenerous wood fights somewhat with the ripe aromas of citrus confit, white orchard fruit and just enough Chablis typicity to remind one where this is from. I very much like the texture of the plump, round and punchy medium-bodied flavors that possess plenty of sappy dry extract that also serves to buffer the moderately firm acid spine shaping the lingering finale.Burghound | 89-92 BH50% oak. Vaupulans with more clay so on the richer side. Pale yellow. A plumper yellow fruit nose. Fruit through the middle, oak at the end, which past history suggests will integrate. Drink from 2027-2031. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JMThe 2024 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru is more backward and austere on the nose than the Mont de Milieu. This is reticent at the moment. The palate is balanced with pineapple and grapefruit notes. This has a keen line of acidity, though it’s quite linear and less flattering compared to some of Benoît Droin’s other cuvées this year.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

Aromas of nashi pear, orange peel, vanilla pod and flint preface the 2024 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, a medium- to full-bodied, taut and racy wine that is considerably concentrated for the vintage, culminating in a long, oak-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPProminent petrol nuances are present on the ripe and smoky mix of mineral reduction, acacia blossom, lemon-lime and ocean breeze are trimmed in subtle but not invisible wood. There is both better volume and a bit more punch as well to the utterly delicious flavors that deliver fine length on the balanced, dry and sleek finale. While this could use better depth, it’s very stylish, indeed the word classy comes to mind.Burghound | 90-93 BH30% oak component. A lively fresh lemon. Immediate personality without the super-succulence of the hotter years. A little smoky reduction. White orchard fruit with good energy behind, attractive kimmeridgian texture behind. Fine persistence. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JMThe 2024 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru takes its time to open in the glass. Eventually, there’s more green fruit here, with touches of gooseberry, Conference pear and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with a more delicate style. It’s quite strict, though a little spice emerges toward the finish. This is understated for a Montée de Tonnerre.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

Delivering aromas of pear, almond paste and orange peel, the 2024 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains is medium- to full-bodied and bright yet giving, concluding with a saline finish. It derives from a clay-rich site that is typically harvested a week later than Vaillons, 40% of which is vinified in wood. This year, it appears less successful when tasted alongside Vaillons.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP40% oak. Glowing pale lemon and lime in colour. The Droin holding in Montmains is in a cooler spot than Vaillons, so picked a week later. Some flesh but matched by a little tension at the back. Attractive in its balance. Drink from 2027-2031. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 90-91 JMThe 2024 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru offers lilting apricot and clementine scents on the pretty nose, which is perhaps what I was expecting from the Vaillons! The palate is very well balanced with more body and slightly less tension than the Vaillons. This is more approachable with its open-armed, tropical-tinged finish. The 2024 will be difficult to resist!Vinous Media | 89-91 VMHere the wood treatment is no longer subtle though it stops short of being intrusive on the more floral-suffused nose that offers enough Chablis typicity to be convincing. The sleek and delicious, if less concentrated, medium-bodied flavors that possess a lovely texture that is also true of the clean and dry finale. This could also use better depth so again, a few years of forbearance are advised.Burghound | 89-91 BH

The 2024 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, 30% of which is vinified in wood, wafts from the glass with aromas of orange zest, pastry and honeysuckle, followed by a medium- to full-bodied palate with a crisp yet demonstrative core of pure, open-knit fruit. Sourced from a warm site of higher maturity—where Droin typically begins the harvest—it has, unsurprisingly, turned out very well this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2024 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has a comparatively strict and correct nose for this vineyard. It’s stonier than I expected. The palate is more generous with hints of fresh apricot and peach. This is well balanced, pretty and quite persistent. Give it 18 months in bottle for the aromatics to open up.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMModerate wood serves as the backdrop for the more floral-suffused aromas of sea breeze, white orchard fruit and a touch of citrus confit. The caressing but punchy middle weight flavors possess a succulent mid-palate texture before concluding in a youthfully austere and attractively dry finale. This could use better depth so a few years of keeping are recommended.Burghound | 89-91 BH30% oak in the blend. A little more yellow in the colour, and a softer more opulent yellow fruit on the nose. Power up front, lighter behind, with lemon notes to finish. Drink from 2027-2030. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM