Joseph Drouhin revisited 2024

It was a pleasure to re-visit Maison Joseph Drouhin for the third time on the morning of 23 September 2024, where we were received by no less than Monsieur Frédèric Drouhin, a highly amiable gentleman without any airs who is the current President of this prestigious domaine since it was founded by his great-great-grandfather Joseph in 1880, still located at 7 Rue d’Enfers in Beaune throughout all these years. Frédèric is highly hands-on in addition to his onerous administrative duties, evident by the fact that he had only just completed harvesting this year’s crop yesterday. The vintage of 2024 is dismal, marred by too much rainfall resulting in mildew that wiped out some 50-80% of vines throughout the Côte d’Or. Nevertheless, this sort of situation isn’t new to Frédèric, having been in the business for so long. We trooped down the steep stairs into the domine’s extensive cellars which are located directly beneath its offices. Originally constructed by the Romans two thousand years ago as a fort (an original Roman wall is still intact), the network of tunnels now holds thousands and thousands of unlabeled bottles covered in thick mould, some in very large formats, that have lain undisturbed for decades. Even Frédèric himself isn’t sure what’s inside them. Popping up again into its original chai where a huge wine press still stands, we proceeded to taste a selection of bottles from Drouhin’s extensive range. As always, the whites of Drouhin are very correctly poised, highly successful in expressing each individual terroir. Frédèric prefers a reductive style for Meursault. He would decant the Marquis de Laguiche Montrachet Grand Cru for 30-60 minutes in a long-neck wide base decanter sitting on ice. His wines are meant for those who appreciate; he doesn’t have time for fashionable young winemakers that charge an arm and a leg for a measly bottle. Merci beaucoup, Frédèric, for spending time with us and may you continue to enjoy further success at Maison Joseph Drouhin.

2019 Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune. Pale. Clean nose and palate of grassy elements and white fruits. Well balanced with fine intensity. A blend of declassified grapes of Clos des Mouches.

2019 Joseph Drouhin Meursault. Pale. Nose of fresh morning dew and distilled white fruit, delivering a medium palate of cool delicate elegance with refined acidity and intensity, veering towards a reductive quality. Beautifully linear, finishing with lingering mouthfeel.

2019 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 1er. Pale. Highly aromatic. Slightly more fruit forward with a dash of nutmeg. Medium-full, imbued with a distinct minerally presence with sublime acidity, displaying lovely balance and freshness. Good finish. Highly elegant.

2019 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er. Pale. Some salinity is evident on the nose amid delicate floral elements. Very smooth on the entry, boasting a refined presence with teasing acidity that confer lovely freshness and tension. A blend of thirty-five parcels.

2018 Joseph Drouhin Pommard Chanlins-Bas 1er. Classic pinot tint. Already surprisingly open, exuding wonderful freshness with delicious rosy hues, aided by structured detailed tannins. Modest finish.

2017 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er. Good colour. Highly aromatic with a tensile fragrance though the palate is only medium-weight, rather subdued with soft tannins supported by a minerally spine. Good balance.

2017 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Rouge. Classic pinot tint, proffering a highly integral glow of predominant red fruits already into secondary development. Medium-weight, boasting a concentrated elegance that exert controlled sweetness and intensity.

2016 Hospice de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru Cuvée Maurice Drouhin. Slightly darkish in colour though there is a lovely lift of red cherries and rose petals to match an agile medium-weight palate structured with pliant tannins, tinged with a dash of salinity throughout its modest length. Distinctly feminine.