Joseph Drouhin Drouhin Vaudon Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru 2020

Joseph Drouhin Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is a 100% Chardonnay from Chablis' largest and most celebrated grand cru vineyard, bottled at 13.5% ABV in a standard 750ml format. The 2019 vintage earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the wine consistently ranks among the benchmark expressions of this storied climat.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: Chablis, Burgundy, France  |  Grand Cru  |  Producer: Joseph Drouhin (Drouhin-Vaudon)

Production & Heritage

Founded in 1880 in Beaune, Maison Joseph Drouhin has been a pillar of Burgundy winemaking for well over a century and remains family-owned through four generations. The domaine adopted organic viticulture in the late 1980s and transitioned to biodynamic practices in the 1990s — unusually early for a major Burgundy house. Les Clos sees partial fermentation in grès (sandstone) eggs, which offer greater porosity than stainless steel, alongside aging for 12 to 15 months in neutral 500-liter oak barrels with no new wood. Since 2008, the Chablis wines have been labeled under the Drouhin-Vaudon name, reflecting the family's dedicated Chablis estate. This restrained use of oak and reliance on larger-format vessels allows Kimmeridgian terroir — the ancient limestone and fossilized oyster shells beneath Les Clos — to speak with minimal interference.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with ripe Meyer lemon and Asian pear before unfolding into layers of acacia honey, candied orange, and delicate white flowers such as lily. Underneath, subtle iodine and crushed chalk nuances anchor the bouquet with a marine, mineral edge.

Taste: On entry, the palate is round and generous, showing white peach and citrus pith. The mid-palate broadens with creamy texture and a wave of stone-like mineral salinity, balanced by bright, fresh acidity. At its peak, concentrated notes of green pear and pastry cream emerge with remarkable depth and precision.

Finish: The finish is long and expansive, carrying persistent minerality and a velvety gras sensation that is characteristic of Les Clos at its best. Lingering traces of preserved lemon, fresh herbs, and saline tension echo well after the final sip.

How to Drink Les Clos

This grand cru is best served lightly chilled — around 12–14°C (54–57°F) — in a wide-bowled white Burgundy glass that allows its aromatics to develop fully. Decanting younger vintages for 30 minutes can help open the wine's layered complexity. While this is primarily a wine for the table and quiet contemplation, it pairs superbly with food-forward occasions rather than cocktail applications:

• Sole meunière — the wine's mineral salinity and bright acidity complement delicate browned-butter fish preparations.
• Lobster thermidor — creamy richness in both wine and dish create a harmonious, indulgent pairing.
• Aged Comté cheese — nutty, crystalline cheese mirrors the wine's depth and chalky minerality.

Best For

• Celebrating a milestone dinner with an iconic Burgundy grand cru
• Gifting a serious Burgundy or Chardonnay collector
• Building a cellar with age-worthy white Burgundy (best vintages can develop over 15–20 years)
• Pairing with an elaborate seafood course at a formal dinner

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Les Clos taste like? Drouhin's Les Clos is a concentrated, mineral-driven Chardonnay marked by Meyer lemon, white peach, acacia honey, and crushed stone, wrapped in a creamy yet taut texture with striking length.

How does Les Clos compare to Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos? Both are benchmark expressions from the same grand cru vineyard; Dauvissat is often described as more tightly wound and reductive in youth, while Drouhin's version leans toward a broader, more immediately textural style partly due to its use of grès eggs alongside 500-liter barrels. Dauvissat commands significantly higher secondary-market prices and smaller allocations, making the Drouhin bottling a more accessible entry into top-tier Les Clos.

Is Les Clos good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — this is a contemplative wine with the depth, complexity, and length to reward slow, attentive sipping neat, particularly with five or more years of bottle age.

Where is Les Clos made? Les Clos is produced by the Drouhin-Vaudon estate in Chablis, the northernmost winegrowing district of Burgundy, France, situated geographically closer to Champagne than to the Côte d'Or. The Les Clos vineyard itself sits on a southwest-facing slope of Kimmeridgian limestone above the Serein river.

What foods pair well with Les Clos? Grilled Dover sole highlights the wine's acidity and saline character. Roasted chicken with tarragon cream draws out its herbal and textural qualities. Raw oysters on the half shell echo its iodine undertones. Seared scallops with brown butter match the wine's richness, and a plate of aged Gruyère or Comté bridges its mineral and nutty notes beautifully.

What sizes does Les Clos come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle; half-bottles (375ml) and magnums (1.5L) may be available in select vintages depending on the producer's allocation.

Is Les Clos worth the price? Drouhin's Les Clos positions as a premium grand cru Burgundy that sits below the ultra-premium pricing of cult producers like Dauvissat or Raveneau, making it one of the more attainable ways to experience this legendary vineyard at the highest classification level.

Why Les Clos?

Les Clos is widely regarded as the greatest of Chablis' seven grand cru vineyards, and Drouhin's biodynamic stewardship of its vines — dating back over three decades — brings an uncommon philosophical commitment to this bottling. The combination of partial grès egg fermentation and aging in large-format neutral oak without any new barrels is deliberately designed to preserve raw terroir expression rather than impose winemaker style. With 95 points from Wine Enthusiast for the 2019 vintage and consistent critical recognition across multiple publications, this wine delivers grand cru complexity and ageability that justifies serious attention from anyone seeking the definitive expression of Kimmeridgian Chardonnay.