Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesBarrel Sample: 88-91
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.
A classic source of exceptional Chardonnay as well as Pinot Noir, the Côte de Beaune makes up the southern half of the Côte d’Or. Its principal wine-producing villages are Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
The area is named for its own important town of Beaune, which is essentially the center of the Burgundy wine business and where many negociants center their work. Hospices de Beaune, the annual wine auction, is based here as well.
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.”