Firm, bright, and ultimately a bit austere, the Droin 2008 Chablis – drawn from numerous villages on both sides of the river – offers pronounced fresh lemon and grapefruit, with a tart, salt- and chalk-tinged finish. It should prove versatile over the next 2-3 years. ”I think 2007 displays a bit more finesse than 2008 and might have the edge in ten or fifteen years,” suggests Benoit Droin’s, but adds that he doesn’t perceive his more generous 2008s – which he compares with 2002 – as less impressive today. Nor, in the least, do I: in fact, they represent the most exciting collection I have so-far tasted here; in my opinion a significant advance on Droin’s 2007s. I hope his estimated time frame proves accurate, but this is admittedly another of those Chablis addresses where – even putting aside one’s general concerns about premature oxidation – the rise in quality and the influence of a new generation are too recent to really be able to treat results from the 1990s as predictive of today’s wines’ evolution. Droin bottled all of his 2008s already in September. Unfortunately due to a schedule change that put us both under time pressure, I was able to taste only around 70% of the entire collection.Importer: Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

Clear and clean slightly dry honey fruit, very attractive and quite forward.