Joseph DROUHIN (Beaune) -- 2023 Tasted from Coravined Samples, Part I: Red Wines
Véronique Drouhin described 2023 as normal until mid-August, when the weather turned warmer. Drouhin avoided doing too stringent a green harvest.
For the Mâconnais and Chablis, the harvesting was at night, with harvesting for the village Chablis and Mâcon by machine, the first time ever. Harvesting began on 8 September in Chablis, 2 September in Côte d’Or for whites, and 4 September there for the reds. Alcohols are a little below 2022, but above 2021, ranging from 12.6º to 13.8º.
Plenty of whole clusters were used in the reds, even for village wines, which are normally entirely from destemmed fruit. Fermentations were long.
If this set of samples is representative of the whole line, 2023 is a great vintage for Drouhin.
2023 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Fourneaux
Very fresh, pure, red Savigny fruits. A marvelous opener. A little whole cluster here. (91-94)
2023 Gevrey-Chambertin
Less open than the Savigny today, good freshness, classic style red fruits. (88-91)
2023 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches
Spice from the whole clusters and dark plum fragrances in nose. Round, smooth, velvety, long. (91-94)
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
In this vintage, the Chambolle 1er Cru includes 20% purchased fruit. The wine is very pretty and pure, with dark fruit, good freshness, and round tannins. (91-94)
2023 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur
From purchased grapes. Dark fruits, freshness, silky plum and berry fruits, well-differentiated, good energy, lovely bottle. (93-95)
2023 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts
This wine is from a prime plot of Petits Monts that Véronique’s father purchased for her. It always gives a very special bottle, and 2023 is no exception. 40% whole clusters in this wine. Smooth, silky, pure, long. Evident resemblance to Richebourg and Cros Parantoux which are nearby/adjacent. (94-97)
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Beautiful, pure, red fruits, very typical of the Amoureuses terroir, long, fresh, precise, deep, (95-97)
2023 Griotte-Chambertin
Relatively closed in nose. Silky, pure, texture is very clear, fine tannins. (94-97)
2023 Chambertin-Clos-de-Bèze
Musk, animal, salty nose, all of which can be characteristic of Clos-de-Bèze. Silky, almost velvet texture, dark fruits, very long in mouth. (95-97)
2023 Musigny
A little tired in the nose (the problem with Coravined samples), but pure and velvety on the palate. Long, deep, and complex; an amazing wine. (97-99)