The sleeping giant of Gevrey

Domaine Drouhin-Laroze is one of the few domaines in Burgundy that physically resembles a Bordeaux chateau. Right in the middle of Gevrey, the estate's winery, cellar, and large manor house sit behind an imposing stone wall. The domaine's robust size is matched by an impressive range of vineyard holdings. Drouhin-Laroze is the second largest land owner in Bonnes Mares, owns a large chunk of Clos de Beze and produces two barrels of Les Musigny. Yet, despite these impressive credentials, most wine drinkers have never heard of this domaine or seen a bottle bearing its label. That is about to change.

Philippe Drouhin took over when his father died in 2001. Drouhin-Laroze had been known as one the classic underachievers of the Cote D'Or. Few domaines could boast a more impressive portfolio of vineyards, yet the quality of the wines never seemed to excite. I often get goose bumps when, near the end of barrel tasting, the winemaker walks towards his most cherished barrels. Whether it be Musingy, Batard-Montrachet or any other Grand Cru, the number of casks lying before your feet can usually be counted on one hand. During my visit to Drouhin-Laroze this past July, Philippe pulled the stopper out of a cask and announced that it was the Bonnes Mares. When I asked how many barrels he produced of this wine, he pointed down the entire row.

"Vingt-cing," he stated.

There are 25 barrels in the Drouhin-Laroze cellar with Bonnes Mares written across the front. At one time, these casks contained some uninspiring juice. Today things are much are different, as the following tasting notes will confirm.

Philippe Drouhin dipping into one his barrels of Bonnes Mares

Gevery-Chambertin, 2006 (barrel sample) - Rich and firm in the mouth. Tannic, but has deep flavors. Classic Gevrey.

Latricieres-Chambertin, Grand Cru, 2006 (barrel sample) - 10 barrels procuded. Elegant nose. Deep, rich flavors in the mouth with a tannic finish. Dark fruits. Needs time to settle, but still very good.

Clos-de-Beze, Grand Cru, 2006 (barrel sample) -20 barrels produced. Beautiful, fragrant

nose. Softer in the mouth, but finishes with firm tannins.

Les Musigny, Grand Cru, 2006 (barrel sample) - 2 barrels produced. Beautiful nose. More

feminine. Very elegant in the mouth. Velvet texture. Dark cherry fruit. Awesome!

Bonnes Mares, Grand Cru, 2006 (barrel sample) - 25 barrels produced. Very animalistic/gamey nose. Rich, but rustic on the finish. Awesome!

Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, 2006 (barrel sample) - 10 barrels produced from two parcels in the northern part of the Clos (one each in the Quatier de Marei Haut & Plante L'Abbe sub-plots). The grapes from this area were once regularly saved for the popes in Avignon. Drouhin-Laroze rants 14th out the 56 growers in the Clos in terms of surface area. Darker on the nose and richer on the palate. Really good body and texture. Firm at the moment, but shows a lot of potential. I asked Philippe how he viewed the Clos Vougeot in terms of quality, and he responded that for him it is a Grand Cru.

I once again visited the domaine in March of this year and tasted the following wines that were already bottled:

Gevrey-Chambertin, 2006 - Red cherry in the nose. Very pure, ripe black cherry. Soft and elegant.

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru, Au Closseau, 2006 - Drouhin-Laroze owns 95% of this vineyard and no other producer bottles a wine under this name. These old vines (1943) are planted in very deep soil. Rich mouthfeel and very long flavors.

Gevery-Chambertin, 1er Cru, Craipillot, 2006 - The vines were planted in 1943 and 1953 in this rather flat vineyard. Long elegant flavors. Great fruit in the mouth. Very mineral on the finish. Excellent.

Latricieres-Chambertin, Grand Cru, 2006 - The vines here were planted between 1959 and 1984. Very sweet and long on the palate. Ripe and elegant. A little short on the finish, but very pretty.

Bonnes Mares, Grand Cry, 2006 - Planted on the Chambolle side in terres rouges soil, the vines are a mix of ages. Tight nose (more so then when tasted in July). Sweet, black fruit in the mouth. Very full. Beautiful tannins. Outstanding.

Clos-de-Beze, Grand Cru, 2006 - From vines planted in 1949. Very fragrant. Rich, sexy nose. Spicy, long black fruits in the mouth. Very elegant, but also very complex. Awesome wine.

This tapestry hangs in a tasting room that is hidden deep within Drouhin-Laroze's cellar

I am sure that Philippe's father tried to make the best wine possible, but the general opinion was that the wines were lack luster. Phillipe made several changes upon taking over, and today the wines embody the best of Gevrey. The young vintages are full bodied and slightly rustic, but they have all the ingredients to develop into beautiful wines. Prices have yet to catch up to the quality, but that will surely change in the future as more critics visit this domaine. One of Gevrey's great land owners is finally producing top level wines and the whole of Burgundy is better off as a result.