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Joseph Drouhin '08 Burgundy Preview
Specialty Imports
Tasted August 16, 2010 by jjclips2 with 693 views
Introduction
Another Drouhin Preview
Flight 1 - Whites (6 notes)
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin / Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
90 points
Always one of my favorites in this portfolio. This shows delicious stonefruits mixed with apple, wet rocks, and steely minerality. Soft, medium bodied, and acidity not overwhelming. Nicely balanced overall, has the ability to evolve for the next decade or so.
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet
Very tight on the nose. As it warms in my glass it subtly shows minerals, white flowers, and lemon peel. Medium bodied with rather soft acid, not too much going on. Definitely young and hard to see where this is going.
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
90 points
This always shows well in these tastings. Definitely more complex than the village level Puligny, with an elegant, creaminess. The acidity is also a little lighter than anticipated, compared to past vints. Ripe yellow pear and apple, fresh cream, slight toastiness. Nicely balanced overall.
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc
91 points
A little toastier than the P-M Folatieres. Baked yellow apple with ginger and clove. Nicer acidity with better balance overall. I like this wine and I think it will evolve elegantly.
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin Meursault
90 points
Quite a bit more structure and richness than the other whites tasted today. Minerality is up front on nose and palate. Same toast level as the Mouches Blanc with fuller body and still balanced acidity. Same baked yellow apple thing going on with baking spices.
White
2008 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet
87 points
Wasn't as impressed with this one as the previous whites. More of a tropical fruit nose, pineapple, etc. The palate is quite simple with plenty of fruit and acidity, touch of minerals. Intensity is quite low.
Flight 2 - Reds (9 notes)
Red
2006 Joseph Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune
88 points
I've never had Drouhin's Chorey. Vendor was back vintaged while doing the '08 prebuy tasting and threw this in the mix. Glad they did. Purity of fruit was great. Bright cherry and dried cranberries, earthy spiciness, dusty tannins and great mouthfeel. Nice warm spiced finish with low-medium acidity. Drinking nicely.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge
90 points
I don't recall ever having this wine in its youth in previous vints. This is showing very well right now. Some toastiness that I didn't get on the other reds shines on the palate. Lots of ripe red berries, cherry, red plum. This shows great structure for ageworthiness. Plenty of fruit throughout, long, high acid and tannic finish. Medium plus bodied and overall great balance. Good value too.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Volnay
Didn't show that well in this tasting. Nose and palate were super muted. Took forever to get some wild strawberries, herbs, and firm tannins. Pretty austere and hard to see through the acidity and tannin.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Pommard
88 points
Rich palate with berries for fruit, firm tannins, and soft acidity. Definitely drinkable now, fleshes out with time in glass. Cherry, red plum, good red fruits. Simple in ways, but correct and drinkable.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Nuits St. Georges
87 points
Primary right now with strawberries and raspberries. The acidity is pretty high and austere overall. Lean and clean with red berries. Flesh out with time? I hope so.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin
87 points
Pretty spicy aromatics. Still lean along with the NSG. More strawberries and cranberries, just with some more spice. Austere.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
88 points
A little richer than NSG and Gevrey. More red cherry and pomegranate for fruits. Spicier on palate and nose, more baking spices. Still high acid, but some body and structure to hold up along with nice intensity of red fruits.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
90 points
Very similar to village level Chambolle. This showed a little better balance. The palate is medium rich with red cherries, spices. Acidity is a touch softer making more approachable. I like this wine.
Red
2008 Joseph Drouhin Clos Vougeot
88 points
Very structured wine. Very similar aromatics as the other young '08's tried today with lots of red berried fruits, high acidity, and firm tannins. Touch of dill on this one. A bit of whole cluster stuff going on. Definitely structured enough to spend some time in bottle.
Closing
Normally the whites outshine the reds by a long shot. However, this vintage, I found more reds that were showing nicely and excited me than I did the whites.