Droin Petit Chablis 2024

The Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Petit Chablis 2024 is a dry, 100% Chardonnay white from Chablis in Burgundy, France, made by Benoît Droin. It has fresh pear and lemon flavours and a chalky, salty finish, and it's delicious to drink on release.

In the glass it shows white peach and other yellow fruit, with a bright, medium-bodied palate and lively acidity.

This wine would pair well with oysters, and it's a good weekend white for anyone who likes a crisp, mineral style.

Droin makes about 14,000 bottles a year from 1.85 hectares of vines, which average 30 years old.

What it tastes like

This wine has aromas of nashi pear, lemon oil and white peach. The palate is chalky and bright, with ripe citrus and stone fruit running into a saline finish.

Droin says its wines alternate between yellow fruit and salinity in cooler years, and show chalk and wet stones in warmer years. It's delicious.

Style at a glance

• Body: Medium
• Sweetness: Dry
• Acidity: Bright and lively
• Oak: None. The wine is made in stainless steel, which keeps the fruit clean and fresh
• Style: Fresh, chalky, saline dry white

Food to enjoy this with

• Fresh oysters, the classic match for this wine
• Sushi and sashimi
• Grilled or pan-fried white fish
• Soft cheeses
• Green salads with a lemony dressing
• Mildly spiced dishes, where the bright acidity cools the heat

Who makes it

The Droin family has been making wine in Chablis since at least 1620. Benoît Droin represents the 13th generation, following his father Jean-Paul.

The grapes for this wine come from a plateau above the Grand Cru vineyards, at around 200 metres. The vines are planted on Portlandian limestone, a pebbly soil known locally as Barrois limestone, which sits above the Kimmeridgian layers.

The grapes are pressed gently, and the juice settles naturally for 12 to 24 hours at around 15°C. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place in stainless steel, and the wine completes malolactic fermentation, which softens the acidity. It is then aged for 8 to 10 months in stainless steel.

About the vintage

2024 was a challenging year in Chablis, the harvest was less than half the size of 2023. Chris Mercer reported in Decanter that frost, hail and mildew hit the vineyards, and that rainfall ran 50% above average through August. 

Paul Espitalié, president of the Chablis Commission, said the wines were tasting good with a lot of fruit, showing "more grapefruit and lemon flavours than ripe fruit". 

When to drink it

Droin says this wine is at its freshest within 5 years of the vintage, and it can age for 10 years or more.

Technical details

Where to buy

The Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Petit Chablis 2024 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines.

Questions we are often asked

What does Droin Petit Chablis 2024 taste like?

The 2024 shows nashi pear, lemon oil and white peach on the nose. It is medium-bodied and chalky, with a salty finish.

Is Droin Petit Chablis oaked?

No. Droin ferments and ages the wine in stainless steel for 8 to 10 months, so there is no oak influence.

What food goes with Droin Petit Chablis?

Oysters are the classic match. The wine also suits sushi, white fish and soft cheeses.

How long can you keep Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Petit Chablis 2024?

Droin says it is at its freshest within 5 years, and it can age for 10 years or more.

Where can I buy Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Petit Chablis 2024?

The Winery sells Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin Petit Chablis 2024 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.