2022 New Arrivals from Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Late last year, I sampled a handful of wines at the cellars of Domiane Joseph Drouhin. And as the Burghound review suggests, they were absolutely stunning. I have been buying them at every opportunity for my own cellar and to offer them to you.
With an address sitting amongst some of the most compelling Burgundy wines made today, Drouhin is still largely overlooked by collectors who haven’t had the luxury of exploring the entire collection. Not every wine in their lineup falls into the exceptional category, so many collectors are thrown off the scent. To my nose, this smells of opportunity!
As someone who knows the entire lineup, in fact, I can assure you, there are a handful of wines not to be missed; top of list is the 2022 Beaune Clos des Mouches. At 25 hectares, Clos des Mouches is one of a few vineyards in Burgundy planted to both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The name is said to originate from the bees (mouches a miel) that were once prevalent in the area. In the 1920’s, Maurice Drouhin began purchasing small parcels, little by little, until he amassed 14 of the 25 hectares.
Most people I chat with believe they prefer the blanc over the rouge and in the past, I would have agreed. However with the warmer climate it has allowed the Pinot Noir to reach a more consistent maturity which better balances the streak of minerality that is the backbone of this wine’s DNA.
Present day, certainly with the 2022 vintage, I don’t believe either color has an edge over the other.
The other wine to highlight is the Chassagne Montrachet 1er Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche. The Laguiche family owned a significant portion of Le Montracet before the French Revolution, until the marquis was guillotined. His tattered family emerged still owning 2 hectares of Montrachet, as well as significant holdings in the Chassagne 1er crus Morgeot and Chenevottes. The relationship between the Laguiche family and Joseph Drouhin dates back to the mid 20th century when the family entrusted Drouhin to manage and produce their wines. The wines of Marquis de Laguiche are arguably some of the finest the Domaine produces. The 2022 Morgeot is not to be missed!
