(Originally published 17 March 2017.)
The description of the 2015 vintage at Drouhin is located here.
The description of the 2015 vintage at Drouhin is located here.
2015 Côte de Nuits-Villages
Drouhin’s Côte de Nuits-Villages comes from both the northern and southern ends of the Côte de Nuits and includes fruit from Fixin at the north end and Prémeaux-Prissey, Combanchien, and Corgoloin at the south end. Grapes were harvested between 5 and 15 September and all were destemmed. The fruit here is dark, intense, and deep, the texture is smooth, and the wine is light on the palate. In short, this is a Burgundy you can enjoy without breaking the bank. (87-90)
2015 Chambolle-Musigny
The village Chambolle is pure in its red and dark fruits and it shows length and finesse. It is a pretty wine, as one expects from Chambolle. Grapes were harvested 9-11 September and all were destemmed. (88-91)
2015 Vosne-Romanée
The village Vosne contains declassified premier cru fruit from the Chaumes vineyard. The wine shows good density of texture and weight, dark fruit with some spice hints, and a silky texture. In short: very promising. Grapes were harvested between 8 and 18 September and entirely destemmed. (89-93)
2015 Gevrey-Chambertin
Like the Vosne, the Gevrey-Chambertein contains declassified premier cru fruit — in this case, about 30% of the wine, coming from Clos du Chapître, Les Veroilles, and La Romanée, and there’s more coming from top village lieux-dits such as Evocelles and En Champs. The days over twenty years ago when I would tell Philippe Drouhin that his village Gevrey wasn’t up to what it should be are long past. The wine shows wild Gevrey aromas in the nose, mostly dark fruits. The dark fruits continue in the mouth with a smooth texture, lightness on the palate, good length, and some salinity. Harvested between 8 and 12 September, all fruit destemmed. (89-92)
2015 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Drouhin’s Chambolle 1er Cru comes from Feusselottes, Borniques, Hauts-Doix, Plantes, Beaux Bruns, and Noirots. The grapes were harvested on 9 and 10 September and entirely destemmed. The wine is dense in texture with good weight for the vintage. There’s finesse here layered dark fruit, a velvet texture, and good length. Drouhin fans know already that this is a reliably good cuvée each vintage. Harvested on 7 September, grapes entirely destemmed. (91-95)
2015 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Baudes
Baudes is located just downhill from Bonnes-Mares. One would expect more structure here than in the Chambolle 1er cru, but in fact there may be more finesse here. The wine has dark fruit that is layered, a velvet texture, outstanding depth, slight salinity, and a good tannic structure. Harvested on 10 September, grapes entirely destemmed. (92-95)
2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers
The Cazetiers has dark fruits and a velvet texture with lightness on the palate and the finesse for Gevrey that Cazetiers typically shows. There’s some salinity here and the wine develops well in the mouth. (91-95)
2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Procès
The Procès shows great finesse and is very light on the palate. The fruit is dark, especially dark berries, and there is underlying tannic structure as well as good length. Harvested 8 September. 30% whole clusters in this wine. (91-94)
2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Petits Monts
This wine shows some reduction in the nose along with intense cassis fruit. The mouth displays great penetration, energy, and depth, but the wine still needs more time to come together. Harvested on 8 September, 40% whole clusters in this wine. (91-95)