2020 Joseph Drouhin 'Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc' 1er Cru Cote De Beaune

Winemaker Notes: An outstanding wine. Pale yellow color. Complex floral nose of white lilac and white rose. Once open, fruity aromas come to the fore, evolving towards grilled hazelnut and almond. When the wine is more mature, the nose is surprisingly strong and fifteen minutes of aeration produce wonderful notes of white truffle, citron (cedrat), honey and nutmeg, elegantly meshed together. Very lively on the palate. Its rich texture is in evidence, but also its structure and minerality. It is round, but never heavy. Harmonious fullness in the aftertaste. This wine allies remarkably the complexity and elegance of a Bâtard-Montrachet with the power of a Corton- Charlemagne.

This vintage produced wines of various styles, some with a rather high acidity level, others offering roundness. The main factor has been the frost. The vines hit by this severe spring frost very often matured later, giving fairly nervous wines, whereas the plots spared by frost reached a more precocious maturity. Many beautiful wines in this multi-faceted vintage.

The name “mouches” means flies. There were once bee- hives in this sun-drenched “clos” (vineyard enclosure); the bees in the local dialect were called “mouches à miel” (honey flies), hence the name Clos des Mouches. It is one of the first vineyards acquired by Maurice Drouhin (the founder’s son) in the 1920’s. With great determination, he bought 41 different parcels from 8 proprietors. It is planted equally in red and white grapes and both wines have achieved mythical status for the House of Joseph Drouhin.

The site is at the southern end of the Beaune appellation, next to Pommard. The Drouhin vineyard is at mid-slope, on a mild incline with an east/south-east exposure. It is the largest parcel of the Clos des Mouches (14 hectares - 35 acres), one half planted with chardonnay, the other half pinot noir. Clay and limestone soils. Rocky soil in the upper part of the vineyard. At the center, the soil is limestone and marl. This light composition is responsible for the great finesse of the wine. Domaine area: 6.75 ha. (16.875 acres). Average age of the vines: 39 years.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


James Suckling - "This is exactly what Burgundy and pinot-noir freaks around Planet Wine are looking for. Enveloping nose of red and black raspberries that's really hard to resist. So concentrated, suave and sophisticated on the rich but very precisely balanced palate. Extremely long and silky finish."

Jasper Morris - Barrel Sample: 94-97 - "Pale lemon colour. The power is immediately apparent on the nose, but in a good way. A wine for longer elevage before bottling and then worth the wait in bottle thereafter. This has all the expected volume of white fruit while retaining impeccable balance. Adds depth with time in the glass, before reaching quite a saline finish. A very youthful but impressive Clos des Mouches. I recently enjoyed a stunning bottle of the 2017, and this could very well match it in due course. "


Wine Spectator - "This elegant version is packed with ripe black cherry, plum, sandalwood, cedar and spice flavors. Its beam of acidity keeps everything focused as mineral and leafy vegetal notes emerge. Shows fine balance, with a lingering aftertaste of fruit, licorice and spice."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "The 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc (Domaine) wafts from the glass with aromas of honeyed pears, freshly baked bread, buttery pastry, Meyer lemon and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping, its textural attack segues into a fleshy but vibrant core of fruit and a long, saline finish. Barrel Sample: 92-94"


Burghound - "Ripe aromas of apple and pear compote possess more prominent floral nuances along with hints of wood toast and just sliced fennel. There is very fine volume to the fleshy and plump flavors that also retain good precision thanks to a similar citrus-tinged acid spine on the sneaky long finish. This is a wine of contrasts as the mid-palate is rich to the point of opulence, yet the balance is impeccable. Note that this should drink well relatively early on. *Outstanding* - Barrel Sample: 90-93"