Winemaker Notes
A revelation and a true wonder! The ruby red color is magnificent and takes on a deeper hue with age. The aromas are intense and evoke raspberry and wild cherry, becoming more complex with age: undergrowth, truffle, candied fruit. A sublime structure, with refined tannins. It is a perfect example of this ideal of elegance according to Drouhin. A remarkable balance and a lingering persistence of flavors on the palate. It is a wine that always leaves the greatest impression.
Excellent with prime meats: filet mignon, game, wild fowl, venison, and great cheeses.
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesDrouhin's 2018 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is showing very well, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, plums, dark chocolate, incense and petals. Full-bodied, rich and enveloping, it's broad and dramatic, with a concentrated core of fruit, succulent acids, and velvety tannins that render it unusually approachable at this early stage.
A deep if slightly sombre crimson. Not a lot of bouquet to start with. Quite a sweet plump fruit, with new oak adding the cream, but seems at first to lacks a little density for grand cru, though perhaps it is more a question of the refinement of the style. Drouhin’s Clos Vougeot probably just needs time, as more fruit emerges with extended aeration. Drink from 2033.?
Since 1880, Maison Joseph Drouhin has built a reputation for wines that primarily reflect their individual terroir and vintage. Faithfully preserving the individuality of each appellation, the Drouhin firm constantly strives for wines of breed, finesse and elegance.
A balance of tradition and modern techniques characterizes Joseph Drouhin winemaking and vineyard management: on site nursery, plowing, leaf removal, 100% hand harvesting, open fermenters, fermenting and aging in oak.
As a result of its historic location deep in the heart of Beaune, the quality of its vineyards and the expertise resulting from years of experience in the cultivation of vines and traditional vinification, Maison Joseph Drouhin is uniquely placed to uphold authentic Burgundian style.
Starting with Joseph Drouhin, who founded Maison Joseph Drouhin over a century ago, a great estate has evolved with important holdings in Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Chablis and, most recently, Oregon.
MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN AWARDED ORGANIC CERTIFICATION Estate-grown Grapes of 2009 Vintage and later Now Officially Organic. Twenty years after Philippe Drouhin first began introducing organic practices to the vineyards making up the family company’s domaine (estate), Maison Joseph Drouhin (MJD), has been awarded organic certification for all grapes grown within its vineyards beginning with the 2009 vintage.
Containing the largest Grand Cru in all of the Côte d’Or, Vougeot, the village, takes its name from the small stream flowing through it, called Vouge. Over three quarters of the village retains Grand Cru status, and a single vineyard at that: Clos de Vougeot (or simply, Clos Vougeot). Its mass—over 50 ha—retains the single name chiefly for historic reasons.
But today, Clos de Vougeot contains over 80 owners and shows significant soil and slope variations within its boundaries. The top, bordering Musigny and Grands Echezeaux, is calcareous and gravelly on oolitic limestone and exhibits wonderful drainage. The middle sections are limestone, gravel and clay with less of a slope. The lower part has little slant and is mostly made of clay. Historically the diverse parcels were blended but today the abundance of owners means that everyone has his own style. Exploring and understanding them is part of the allure of Clos de Vougeot.
In general a fine Clos de Vougeot when young will be dense and dark but juicy, with a pronounced austerity, and needs a good ten years to bring it to its full potential.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”