Joseph Drouhin : Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" Marquis de Laguiche 2010

Tasting Notes and Serving Advice for the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Morgeot" Marquis de Laguiche 2010 by Joseph Drouhin

Tasting

Color

This white Burgundy displays a pale golden hue with bright, luminous highlights. The color reflects both the ripeness of the fruit at harvest and the gentle imprint of barrel aging, without ever drifting toward heavier, amber tones.

Nose

The nose opens on an elegant and intense bouquet, led by white flowers and hawthorn blossom alongside ripe apricot. With time in the glass, the aromas evolve toward dried fruit, honey, vanilla, chestnut and delicate spice notes, building a layered and complex aromatic profile that reflects both the fruit and the oak aging.

Palate

The palate reveals a silky texture with a subtle touch of grip, giving the wine real character. A lively, mineral-driven freshness balances the roundness of ripe, spiced fruit, with hints of clove and ginger emerging alongside citrus zest. The structure is ample yet well defined, carrying through to a notably long and persistent finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Chassagne-Montrachet pairs beautifully with refined fish dishes, such as turbot served with a beurre blanc sauce, as well as other delicate preparations like grilled or poached sole and shellfish cooked in a wine-based court-bouillon. It also complements white meats served in cream sauces and can be enjoyed alongside goat cheese or Comté.

Serving and cellaring

The Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Morgeot" Marquis de Laguiche 2010 is best served at a cool cellar temperature, allowing its minerality and aromatic complexity to fully express themselves. According to the producer, this wine may be enjoyed until around 2030, reflecting an aging potential of up to twenty years from the vintage.

A Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru from Joseph Drouhin, combining richness and mineral tension

The Estate

Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, and remains a family-run house now led by the fourth generation—Philippe, Véronique, Laurent and Frédéric Drouhin, with Frédéric serving as president. The estate farms close to 100 hectares across Burgundy, from Chablis to the Mâconnais, entirely in organic and biodynamic viticulture. Guided by a philosophy of "triple respect" for terroir, grape variety and wine, the house is also recognized for its pioneering venture in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

The Vineyard

This wine comes from the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Morgeot" climat, located on a gentle slope south of the Côte de Beaune, near the historic ruins of the Morgeot abbey. The soils here combine marl and limestone, ideally suited to chardonnay. The 2.26 hectares of vines in this plot belong to the Marquis de Laguiche, whose family has owned this land for generations, while Maison Joseph Drouhin is entrusted with the viticulture and winemaking under a long-standing partnership.

The Vintage

The 2010 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a long, cold winter and highly variable weather throughout the growing season, resulting in naturally low yields. These conditions favored slow ripening and the preservation of fresh acidity, producing white wines of notable purity, tension and aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Morgeot" Marquis de Laguiche 2010 are harvested by hand into small perforated crates, with sorting carried out when necessary. The fruit undergoes slow pressing in a pneumatic press, separating the free-run juice from the press juice to preserve aromatic purity. After a light settling period, the must is transferred to oak barrels for both fermentation and aging. The wine is aged for 16 to 18 months, with around 20 to 25% new oak, using French barrels crafted from high-forest oak air-dried for three years, allowing the wood's influence to remain subtle and well integrated.

Grape Variety

This wine is produced from 100% chardonnay.