2020 Dubreuil Chardonnay, Vin de France

Tasting note

Pale gold with silver highlights. The nose is poised and finely detailed, offering aromas of white peach, citrus oil and ripe pear, layered with crushed stone, blanched almond and a touch of struck match. There’s notable precision and depth for a Chardonnay from this region.The palate is sleek and mineral, with crisp acidity and a fine, almost saline texture. Stone fruit and citrus are joined by gentle lees influence, giving shape and length without excess weight. The finish is clean, long and quietly complex.A confident, terroir-driven Chardonnay from Bordeaux—refined, structured and far removed from the ordinary. Crafted with a Burgundian sensibility, it offers striking quality and originality at this level.

Our thoughts

Since its founding in 2002 by the forward-looking Benoit Trocard, Clos Dubreuil has carved out something of a cult following as a boutique producer following an innovative path. Today owned by Texan Ralph Eads and run by the renowned winemaking consultant (and former head of Bordeaux’s Union des Grands Crus) Alain Reynaud, it produces a Chardonnay bottling which, given the variety, has to be labelled as Vin de France. Don’t let that put you off, though – this is a sophisticated rendering, made in the old-school Burgundian manner, with barrel-ferment and oak ageing, from the Dijon clone of the grape. The wine is on the lists of several top-end French restaurants, and we are delighted to have procured a small allocation.