After tasting more than 300 Chablis 2021 en primeur samples, Andy Howard MW has given his full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see notes and scores for all 43 Chablis Grand Cru 2021 wines tasted.
| Producer | Appellation | Vintage | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 96 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER A very rich, regal, memorable grand cru displaying a glorious combination of richness, acidity, flavours of ripe peach, a touch of honey, citrus zest and finishing with mineral, saline notes. A crystalline example of Clos, spice notes build on the aftertaste. Very fine, this will last decades. Raveneau holds 0.5ha in the Clos climat, with an average vine age of 45 years – the four plots are located at different levels, with vines of varying ages. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Louis Michel | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 96 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Clean, fresh, driven and with great purity, this balances soft, ripe peach fruit, a dash of lemon/lime zest and a saline character on the very long finish. Super concentrated, elegant and precise, this restrained, less showy, Les Clos will be exceptional in 5-10 years. Louis Michel's plot lies in the western part of Les Clos, halfway up the slope on blue clay soils. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 96 | WINE OF THE VINTAGE & TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Understated in comparison to its much more dynamic, weighty Les Clos, Dauvissat's Preuses is a very fine white wine and a great grand cru Chablis in this vintage. So much finesse here, almost delicate on the palate. Crystalline citrus fruit, a seemingly never-ending mineral edge to finish. Although all of the wine is aged in barrels, there is no trace of oak flavour, just the additional complexity that the wood seems to bring to the texture of the wine. Outstanding. Click to see full details | |
| Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 96 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Weighty, profound and rich, this is a stunning Les Clos which has an extra level of depth and richness that would please many a Côte-d'Or fan. White flowers on the nose, spice and stone fruit on the palate with 40% oak and a lingering, freshening mineral undertow. A grand cru with gravitas that will drink for 15-20 years. Droin has 1.4ha with vine age averaging 40 years. Its plots are located in various sectors of the cru with some lower down in the western sector, and part on the blue clay soils on the mid-slope. Click to see full details | |
| Julien Brocard, 7 Lieux | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Brocard's 7 Lieux Grand Cru Preuses is a magnificent wine in the making. Although there is plenty of ripeness on display this regal grand cru is cool, crisp and supremely elegant. An aristocratic feel here, with great focus and lingering minerality to finish. From Domaine Brocard vines, all the components are in place to allow this to develop glacially for 15-20 years. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Louis Moreau | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Quite a different, cool, fresh character on the nose. Louis Moreau always aim to pick early to preserve freshness. Lemon-lime citrus characters dominate the palate giving lots of vibrant acidity, balancing the concentrated fruit notes and providing a great backdrop for future ageing. Needs a two or three years to settle in bottle, and it's a keeper. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Roy | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | UNDER THE RADAR A very elegant Bougros which matches the ripeness of this full sun site with great acidity and purity of flavour. There is lots of depth here with some zesty citrus characters and a stony, mineral thread in the background. Cleansing acidity on the finish. A grand cru which definitely shows its class, while managing to be both drinkable now yet have a long future ahead. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Côte de Bouguerots) | 2021 | 95 | TOP QUALITY PRODUCER The Cote de Bouguerots is a 2.1ha part of the Bougros climat, with some distinctive characteristics. On very steep slopes (up to 30%) the clay/gravel soils are low-yielding and lead to intense, ageworthy wines. Much more mineral in terms of both perfume and texture on the palate, citrus fruit is more to the fore here with plenty of acidity suggesting the wine needs several years in bottle before opening. Great precision and laser-like focus. A very fine Grand Cru. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | One of the domaine's standout wines, this immediately strikes you with its precision and clarity. Fevre's vines are from two different sites, with varying expositions - one lower down and facing south-east, the other high on the plateau. Great elegance with plenty of weight and concentration on the palate, full and fleshy. Grapefruit notes to the fore but plenty of mineral/saline notes on the long, persistent finish. A delicious, aristocratic grand cru. Fevre owns 2.5ha within Les Preuses. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | 0.75ha in area, with average age of 40 years, Raveneau's Valmur is already highly appealing with a luscious, ripe and concentrated stone fruit character. Yet this is not all heavy but has great lift and acidity to give the wine wonderful freshness on the finish. A fine balance of ripe fruit and precision. A very fine example of Valmur Grand Cru which will age beautifully for many years. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | Ghislain Dauvissat insisted we tasted Clos before Preuses. Dauvissat's Les Clos shows all the power and weight which one would expect of this famous climat. Stone fruit, minerality, a long saline/salty finish. Very deep, very classy, this just needs around five years in which to mature before it will truly show its best. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Louis Michel | Chablis (Grenouilles Grand Cru) | 2021 | 95 | The vines for Louis Michel's Grenouilles are from a rocky, sunnier site higher up on the slope. The vines here always benefit from a gentle breeze, adding to the concentration coming from these 70-75 year-old vines. A very long, elegant and profound expression of Grenouilles. This has a fine balance between sweetness of ripe fruit and spice notes to finish. Click to see full details | |
| Dampt Freres | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | A weighty Les Clos which shows a fine balance between the intensity of minerality and acidity, melding with some juicy, confit-citrus fruit on the palate. Oak is restrained and in balance with the wine. A classy and refined example from this, the largest, part of the grand cru. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Céline & Frédéric Gueguen | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | UNDER THE RADAR Appetising, refreshing grand cru which has the necessary layers of flavour and complexity. Attractive orange hints on the palate with sweetness of ripe fruit evident all washed down with lively acidity. There is an appealing hint of smoky reduction here. An understated and finely textured Preuses which can be approached quite early, but will age very well. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Long-Depaquit | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | Cool, understated with plenty of concentration and structure waiting to flesh out over the next three to five years. A restrained Les Clos with plenty of smoky characters emphasising the vibrant notes of orange zest on the palate. Very subtle wood adds to the complexity. A fine wine in the making and a very good result for new winemaker Louis Gimonnet. Click to see full details | |
| Simonnet-Febvre | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | Brooding nose with attractive hints of zesty grapefruit. Plenty of depth on the palate with vibrant acidity and a distinct fruit sweetness which is certainly not at all cloying. A fine example of Preuses Grand Cru which will shed its puppy fat and then be a fine bottle after five years maturation. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | Always a favourite in the Billaud-Simon line up, Preuses comes from a plot totalling 0.41ha, with the vines planted in 1949. A very elegant and polished grand cru. A lovely wine in 2021. No oak was used in the blend this year and the weight and concentration are very well supported by crisp acidity, with a mineral, saline edge to finish. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | As a comparison, Olivier Bailly poured the 2001 Presues. Here there is a light touch of wood here, perhaps making the palate seem slightly less precise than the 2021. More powerful, fuller and rounded on the palate. Certainly a fine grand cru with weight and intent (but I almost prefer the 2021)! Click to see full details | |
| Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin | Chablis (Grenouilles Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | A 0.5ha site on the higher levels of Grenouilles, with average vine age of 60 years. The soils here are richer than those controlled by La Chablisienne, adding plenty of force to the Droin wine. Rich and rounded on the palate with notes of apricot/peach fruit, acidity and mineral notes are more restrained than in some of their other grand cru. A generous wine with masses of concentration and ageing ability. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Blanchot Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | Some of the oldest vines in the domaine (85 years), Raveneau have 0.64ha in this east-facing grand cru. Quite a delicate Blanchot in 2021 - cool, fresh, great purity on the palate and so precise. There is also a hint of honey on the palate which adds to the complexity, with a fine mineral, salty note to finish. A very fine, elegant grand cru which will undoubtedly age very well. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2021 | 94 | Brocard used one-year old used barrels here, adding richness and complexity to this Valmur. The wood needs another 18-24 months to fully integrate. Sweet, ripe, plush fruit combine beautifully with bright acidity to finish. Very classy. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | UNDER THE RADAR Warming, sunny and ripe fruit on the nose with a touch of marmalade/orange confit on the palate. Good weight, layers of flavour, a fine Preuses which will drink surprisingly well while still relatively young. Acidity is there to keep the whole in check. Click to see full details | |
| La Chablisienne, Chateau Grenouilles | Chablis (Grenouilles Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | Fine Grenouilles from the La Chablisienne Co-op. Very precise and youthful, plenty of vibrant acidity here and medium weight on the palate. Should be a lovely Grenouilles to enjoy while (relatively) young. Flinty finish. Click to see full details | |
| Louis Jadot | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | Touch of smoky oak on the nose. Crisp, fleshy and vibrant palate with the necessary acidity to keep the palate fresh. Can be broached quite young. Has concentration to age four to six years. Click to see full details | |
| Louis Jadot | Chablis (Blanchot Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | Crisp acidity supports this fine Blanchot. There is plenty of character on display here from this cooler, east-facing site. Lots of spice on the palate, with attractive zesty orange marmalade notes. An elegant, refined and focussed grand cru which will age very well for up to 10 years. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Blanchot Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | Billaud-Simon's Blanchot is a fascinating example of this east-facing grand cru. A sunny site, there is certainly weight warmth on the palate, yet the soils, with a greater presence of white clay, contributes to a lighter style on the palate. Bailly noted that they often need to keep more leaf on the vines to protect from the sun in this warm location. 1/2 of their plots are in organic conversion. Citrus and grapefruit dominate the nose and palate. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | Nice example of Vaudésir which is rounded and showing lots of complexity already. White flowers on the nose, some stone-fruit characters on the palate combining with orange/grapefruit zest and some subtle hints of honey and acacia. Crisp and focussed acidity, Needs a coupe of years to really start to blossom. Click to see full details | |
| Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | From a site of just over 1ha, Valmur is a colder site giving, as Dron says, a more masculine. Cool, closed on the nose, this will need a lot of time to open up. Oak is a little more apparent here, with very precise acidity. Very linear at the minute, a grand cru with a nose of white flowers, and a palate of great purity. This will need three to four years to open and will be hitting its stride in seven to eight. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2021 | 93 | From a plot of 1.2 hectares, with south-facing exposition. Quite a delicate, elegant grand cru yet there is good volume on the palate, with lingering notes of subtle spices and bright acidity to keep the palate fresh. Around 50% of the blend was aged in older oak barres. This will need more time in bottle but will be a fine Vaudésir. Precise and long on the aftertaste with some precise mineral notes and a saline finish. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bernard Defaix | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | More oak evident here, as expected, but this works well with the ripeness of the fruit, giving a generous, weighty edge to the Bougros Grand Cru. Acidity is in the background but there is enough to support the wine over the next four to six years. But drinking well already. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Ternynck | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Quite a deep colour in the glass. Fresh, bright acidity on the palate which support the oaky flavours. Perhaps a little too much wood on show for my taste but some will like the extra element this gives. Needs another 12-24 months before broaching. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Raoul Gautherin & Fils | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | There is a creamy, almost lactic edge to this Vaudésir. Cut through with plenty of citrus acidity and a hint of oak. At the moment, it's not the most harmonious grand cru but this has the concentration to age very well and could easily warrant a higher score in two to three years. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bernard Defaix | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Good combination of rich, concentrated fruit on the palate and some attractive, well-judged oak. A Vaudésir showing plenty of crisp acidity to keep the palate fresh. Should be ready to drink quite early but has the depth to age well. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Joseph Drouhin | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Subtle, understated on both nose and palate. Good density here but not so easy to see that this is a Grand Cru Les Clos. A classy Chablis yet this Les Clos lacks a bit of a terroir spark for me. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Nathalie et Gilles Fevre | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Quite a lot of oak on show at the moment, give this several years to let the wood settle. There is nice concentration here and a fine line of acidity so this Les Clos should evolve with further ageing in bottle and drink well for five to eight years. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | More oak character is apparent with the Bougros, allied to plenty of palate weight and a touch of spice and appealing orange marmalade hints on the palate. In 2021 there were just two barrels, produced with bought in grapes. Nice structure underneath. Good potential here and a grand cru which will be attractive a bit earlier than some. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | The grapes for Billaud-Simon's Les Clos come from a long-term contract. However, they replanted in 2017 and will soon be producing domaine Les Clos. Quite a warm take on Les Clos and not the most refined. Full and generous in the mouth, there is plenty of acidity but some of the elements seem to be fighting each other at the moment. Click to see full details | |
| Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Droin's Vaudésir comes from just over 1ha with vines planted on both north- and south-facing slopes. A little subdued on the nose and palate, this is a subtle grand cru with plenty of definition, and will blossom with two to three years additional bottle age. No oak. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Fevre's Bougros covers around 50% of the whole Bougros climat. With it's westerly location in the grand cru, Bougros is often a warmer site and once can taste the sweetness to the fruit here, beautifully balanced by 2021's acidity. Although not the weightiest, showiest or most concentrated grand cru, there is lots to like, with notes of grapefruit, a touch of citrus zest and excellent acidity. With good volume in the mouth, this finishes very fresh. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | There is always lots of freshness from this 1.15ha site, high up in Valmur, close to the forest. The soils here are a deeper clay-limestone than many others in the grand cru. Fevre's Valmur shows plenty of sweetness to go with the rich palate feel. There are no harsh edges here and this is surprisingly approachable already. Good volume in the mouth, with ripe stone fruit notes which are not at all cloying. Will gain complexity with age. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 92 | Plenty of weight on the palate of this Bougros, with a mineral, salty edge adding an extra freshness to the finish. Wood is a little more evident on the palate. Fleshy, quite warm in the mouth, this will provide relatively early pleasure for a grand cru. Click to see full details | |
| Charly Nicolle | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2021 | 91 | Perhaps quite early picked given the 12.5% alcohol. Quite a lean style on the palate. No issue with the freshness and crisp acidity but there is a slight lack of depth and complexity for me. A precise, pleasing Bougros and a fine food wine to accompany richer seafood dishes. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Raoul Gautherin & Fils | Chablis (Grenouilles Grand Cru) | 2021 | 90 | Perhaps a little more baked than I would hope for from the Grenouilles site. Weighty, smooth, a touch of ripe fruit sweetness and just enough acidity to balance. I suspect this may not have the acidity to keep an extended amount of time but generous now. Click to see full details |