2011 Maison Joseph Drouhin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

The 2011 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is from two parcels that are vinified separately in order to exclude the plot close to the road. It has a lively bouquet with perfumed, floral, red berry fruit that is feminine and open. The palate is underpinned by fine tannins: crisp acidity lending it poise with a dash of spice entering toward the long, fleshy finish. This is a well-crafted Clos de Vougeot of mid-term drinking. Drink now-2020. It is always a pleasure to meet Veronique Drouhin, although this was actually the first time that I had visited their winery on the southern fringe of Beaune. “All the estate has been under biodynamic practices since the mid-1990s (including Chablis) and organic since 1988,” she said to me as we commenced the tasting. “We have been ECOCERT certified since 2009.” I asked her what tangible difference biodynamics have made. “The estate wines have a lot of depth and energy but what is really better is the pH,” she said. She also cited the arrival of head winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac in 2005 as another reason for the improvement in quality. Now their approach is for no compromise on the fruit and to exact precise viticulture for each vineyard. Veronique told me that their entry level Laforet aims to encapsulate the whole picture of Bourgogne. “We know the wine is consumed young so it is not heavily extracted,” she told me. “We look for a lovely fruity, round, elegant Bourgogne. You know, it is easier to make an Amoureuses than a Burgundy Rouge because of the quantity. It is aged in older barrels and it is bottled sooner than in the past.” Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770

One parcel near the chateau and one at the bottom of the clos. Lower parcel best in dry years. Mid crimson. Very sweet start and not that concentrated but a fair rendition with no obvious weak aspects. (JR)