Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Montee de Tonnerre 2018

Critical Acclaim: 94 pts James Suckling; 94 pts Vinous; 93 pts Burghound. 

Winemaker Tasting Notes: One of the great insider wines, Montée de Tonnerre, expresses many of the characteristics of Grand Cru Chablis which should come as no surprise as it is located on an adjacent hillside to the grand crus but with western exposure. This is a powerful wine in contrast to the more delicate and charming premier crus like Vaillons and Montmains, and it rewards the patience of those who wait a few years before pulling the cork. Benoît farms 1.76 hectares of 50-year-old vines in this premier cru.

"Fermented 30% in oak. This is more classic and minerally and offers a blend of lemons and yellow nectarines with a very flinty spark on the nose, too. The white peaches here are stunning, so deliciously ripe, sweet yet fresh in the mouth. Good weight and concentration in this vintage. Smooth resolve at the finish."- James Suckling

"The 2018 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is powerful, ample and rich, all of which give it a decidedly exotic flair. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers and apricot all flesh out in the glass. Droin's Montée de Tonnerre is usually a more reserved, finely cut Chablis, but the 2018 leans decidedly towards opulence. Although quite beautiful and expressive, in the early going this is one of the most overt 2018 Montée de Tonnerre wines I tasted."- Vinous

"Like the Vaulorent there is plenty of mineral reduction present on the fresh nose of tidal pool, pear and floral scents. The textured, powerful and solidly intense flavors possess good size and weight before concluding in a lemony and impressively persistent and bone dry finale. Interestingly this powerful effort isn't quite as refined though it is even more complex."- Burghound

Varietal: Chardonnay.