($32, Dreyfus, Ashby & Company): Though based in Beaune and known best as a top Burgundy négociant, Maison Joseph Drouhin consistently produces excellent Chablis from its extensive holdings there.  Its Chablis, “Réserve de Vaudon,” comes from the Vallée de Vauvillien, which is located between Mont de Milieu and Montée de Tonnerre, two of the best Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis.  Drouhin owns almost 15 acres in the Vallée de Vauvillien and though the Réserve de Vaudon is classified as a village wine, it consistently delivers more excitement and energy than many producers’ Premier Crus.  The 2013 Réserve de Vaudon delivers the quintessential stony flintiness of fine Chablis, but it’s magnified by the wine’s vivacity.  Yes, it’s pricier than most village Chablis.  But it’s also far better than its appellation suggests, which makes it a good buy.  It will brighten any seafood, from grilled swordfish to a heftier bluefish in a tomato caper sauce.
91 Michael Apstein Sep 29, 2015