Château Grenouilles
Sine Qua Non
Deux Grenouilles White Blend
La Chablisienne
La Fief de Grenouilles Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 2006
One of the absolute best white wines I’ve had so far this year to date was this extraordinary Grand Cru Chablis from 2006. I think we caught this wine at the absolute perfect time to drink. Grenouilles is French for frog, more on that below.
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The color on this was perfect, a vibrant light gold and yellow, watery at the rim. The nose was also in perfect condition, notes of flint, crushed oyster shell, a touch of smoke, allied with fresh Asian pear and crisp Fuji apple. The wind absolutely jumped out of the glass, the nose was so pronounced. The palage took it another level up with a perfect expression of what the nose was giving, all the while wrapped up in a perfect medium bodied majorly dense and complex wine. Medium plus acidity and very long on the finish.
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Formed in 1923, la Chablisienne is a co-op winery based of course in Chablis. As I have gone deeper into the rabbit hole of wine I tend to find these amazing co-ops which I wish I could have known about earlier as the wines are so impeccably good and priced so reasonably well. They produce something like 30 different wines off from the Chardonnay grape and all from vineyards within the AOC borders of Chablis.
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The Grenouilles climat is the smallest of the 7 Chablis Grand Cru climat at 9.38 hectares. It has soils that consist of upper and middle layers of Kimmeridgian, alternating with limestone and marl that are studded with fossilised seashells.
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The first vines to grow at the bottom of this hill were close to the River Serein and frogs no doubt came to keep the winegrowers company. — 5 years ago
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin
Blanchot Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 2014
@Delectable this is 2014 Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin, “Blanchot”
The nose reveals; candle wax, lemons, green apple, overripe pineapple, kiwi, lime pulp, pear, white peach, apricots, peach, topical melons, beeswax, honeysuckle, vanillin, creamy butter, fresh herbs, caramel, subtle chalkiness, sea fossils, limestone, grey volcanics, the lemon in Lemon Pledge, green grass, dry straw, glazed, brown butter, with fruit blossoms, yellow lilies, jasmine & spring flowers.
The palate is; rich, lush, round, waxy and elegantly smooth. Excellent viscosity. Glorious as it slips over the beautiful mouthfeel. Sour lemons, green apple, overripe pineapple, kiwi, lime pulp & candy, pear, white peach, apricots, peach, guava, topical melons, beeswax, candle wax, honeysuckle, vanillin, creamy butter, fresh herbs, caramel, subtle chalkiness, sea fossils, saline, limestone, grey volcanics, the lemon in Lemon Pledge, green grass, dry straw, glazed, brown butter with fruit blossoms, yellow lilies, jasmine & spring flowers. The acidity is; round, phat & lively. The finish is; polish, rich, lush, balance fruit & earth and has no hiccups. Great wire to wire.
Photos of; one of their Vineyards, Benoît Droin tasting through his wines & Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin,
Producer notes; The Droins have been producing wines in Chablis for nearly 400 years (their history as vignerons goes back at least to 1620). Benoît is the 14th generation guardian.
The Domaine has 13 hectares of vineyards and produces 14 different wines, including Petit Chablis, Chablis, 7 Premiers Crus and 5 Grand Crus. They prune specific to each vineyard. The wines are fermented differently by vineyard.
All their wines are fermented in mature oak. The Blanchots are all fermented and matured in tank. Vaillons, Mont de Milieu and Montée de Tonnerre receive 25 per cent of barrel fermentation and maturation, 35 per cent for Vosgros and Vaudésir, 40 per cent for Montmains and Valmur, peaking at 50 per cent for Fourchaume, Grenouilles and Les Clos. However the age of the oak and the choice of tonnelier may vary according to the cuvée. The maximum new oak is ten per cent in the Grand Crus. — 4 years ago
Domaine Louis Michel & Fils
Montmain Chablis Premier Cru Chardonnay 2016
This is the gran cru grenouilles. Had before, same great wine. Precise and focused. Lemon curd, tons of minerality, great acid. — 2 years ago
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin
Grenouille Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay
The 2016 Chablis Grenouilles Grand Cru has a clean and precise bouquet with granite and flint aromas mixed with pressed white flowers, red apple and Conference pear. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and linear, open and one of the most generous 2016 from Droin at this early stage. In fact, you could almost drink this now, especially to savour upon the long spicy aftertaste. This is a deeply satisfying, quite involving Grenouilles from Droin. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2018) — 6 years ago
Emmanuel Rouget
Echézeaux Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2010
At the restaurant with grenouilles. This was superb. — 6 years ago
Norman Gennaro
Ok this is just great as confirmed by mom who asked for a third pour. Normally she prefers red but said no I’m drinking white tonight. It’s gone mom. Oh damn. — 4 months ago