2018 Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 1er Cru

The 2018 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has an attractive bouquet that gently unfurls to reveal lemon peel, praline and light white chocolate scents. A faint, sweet tang of marzipan surfaces with aeration. The palate is well balanced with an appealing roundness on the entry. Lightly honeyed in texture, it does lack a bit of tension, although I appreciate the almost peppery finish that fans out nicely. Enjoy over the next decade.

Tank sample. Ripe and almost orangey on the nose. Ripe lemon and a touch of clementine. Is there a touch of botrytis here? A bit flat on the palate, not the freshness I look for in Chablis. (JH)

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.