Joseph Drouhin : Clos de Vougeot Grand cru 2021

Tasting and Serving Notes for the Clos de Vougeot 2021 by Joseph Drouhin

Tasting

Color

This Clos de Vougeot displays a ruby color that is expected to deepen into warmer hues as the wine matures.

Nose

The nose opens on intense aromas of raspberry and wild cherry. With time, these fruit notes give way to undergrowth, truffle, and candied fruit nuances.

Palate

The palate reveals a sublime architecture built on noble, refined tannins. This Grand Cru shows remarkable balance and an impressively long, moving finish, embodying what Joseph Drouhin considers its ideal of elegant perfection.

Food and wine pairings

Thanks to its structure and refinement, this wine pairs beautifully with fine cuts of red meat and elegant poultry dishes, as well as preparations built around mushrooms, which echo its deeper aromatic notes.

Serving and cellaring

The Clos de Vougeot 2021 is best enjoyed between 15 and 20 years after the vintage, with an aging potential of around 30 years.

Other characteristics

A portion of the grapes was vinified as whole clusters, between 20% and 50% depending on the vintage, and indigenous yeasts were used throughout fermentation.

A Vougeot Grand Cru Shaped by a Historic Clos and the Lean 2021 Vintage

The Estate

Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, when the 22-year-old Joseph Drouhin took over a wine trading business. The estate grew over successive generations into one of Burgundy's largest domaines, spanning 100 hectares across Chablis, the Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise, and the Mâconnais. Today it is led by the fourth generation: Philippe, Véronique, Laurent, and Frédéric Drouhin, great-grandchildren of the founder. The house is known for its early commitment to organic and biodynamic farming.

The Vineyard

This Clos de Vougeot comes from two parcels owned by Joseph Drouhin within the celebrated Clos Vougeot, a historic enclosure established by the monks of Cîteaux. The plots lie on a gentle, east-facing slope, benefiting from morning sun exposure. The soil is notably diverse, combining limestone and clay in varying proportions across the parcels.

The Vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy was marked by difficult climatic conditions that led to one of the smallest harvests the region has experienced. These circumstances resulted in notably low yields, while the fruit retained a harmonious, fresh character with moderate alcohol levels, reflecting a style the estate describes as distinctly Burgundian.

Winemaking and aging

For the Clos de Vougeot 2021, grapes were hand-harvested in perforated crates and carefully sorted when needed. Fermentation and maceration lasted two to three weeks in small open vats, with regular punching down and pumping over to gently extract color and tannin. Indigenous yeasts drove a spontaneous fermentation, and pressing was carried out using a vertical press, with press wine selected based on tasting. The wine was then aged in French oak barrels, about 30% new, for 16 to 20 months.

Grape Variety

This Clos de Vougeot is produced from 100% pinot noir.