2011 Joseph Drouhin, Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru

Robert Parker 94

The 2011 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru is bestowed a fragrant and floral, almost Romanee-St-Vivant inspired nose that is very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a slight prickle on the entry. The tannins are fine, although it needs to coalesce toward the finish. Good potential, but patience required! Drink 2016-2025+. 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 [Neal Martin, 29/08/2013]

Anticipated maturity: 2016-2025