Chablis Réserve de Vaudon, Drouhin Vaudon 2023 75cl
Réserve de Vaudon is Joseph Drouhin's Chablis, made under the Drouhin Vaudon estate name from the family's own vineyards along the Serein river. It's a proper, unoaked-styled Chablis that keeps its focus on the one thing that matters here: minerality.
Chablis sits at the cool northern tip of Burgundy, and its famous Kimmeridgian limestone soils, packed with ancient fossilised oyster shells, give the Chardonnay its signature stony, saline character. Drouhin's approach is to let that terroir speak, so the wine sees little to no new oak and stays taut and precise.
The nose is classic Chablis: lemon and green apple, a touch of fern, and that faintly salty sensation you only get from this corner of France. The palate is vigorous and lively but with real finesse, showing ripe stone fruit over a mineral backbone and finishing clean with a gentle, appealing bitterness. There's more expansiveness here than in a basic Chablis, with a hint of warm pastry and almond.
At around £30 this is dependable, benchmark Chablis from a trusted name. Drink it over the next two or three years while its freshness and cut are at their best.
How to Serve
Serve at 8-10°C in a white-wine glass. No decanting; this is a wine that wants to be crisp and immediate. Avoid over-chilling, which flattens the mineral character.
Where to Drink It
Bentley's or J Sheekey with oysters, the classic Chablis move. Scott's in Mayfair with a shellfish platter.
Food Pairings
Oysters, first and always. Failing that, grilled Dover sole or a plate of langoustines with mayonnaise.
