2022 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Rouge 'Clos des Mouches' 1er Cru Cote De Beaune

Winemaker Notes: An exceptional wine. Beautiful, deep-red ruby colour, with the bright sheen of great Burgundies. Intense and fresh nose for the young wines. Primary notes of red fruit dominate, such as Morello cherry (“griotte”, or wild cherry), raspberry, blackberry. There are hints of complexity with smoky flavors evolving towards liquorice. When the wine is maturing, aromas of pepper, tobacco, humus and undergrowth appear. When drinking the wine, the first impression is always clear-cut and the texture fleshy. The body is firm without being rough, well meshed without being heavy. There is great freshness in the younger wines. With age, the wine gets rounder. It takes on “gras” (velvety texture) and a more precise architecture, supported by silky tannins. It is lively and refined at the same time. There remains a final and most pleasing sensation of harmony, fullness and delicate tannins, as the wine lingers on the palate.

The 2016 crop was low in quantity but its quality provides a nice surprise. The mature grapes gave deep ruby-colored wines displaying notes of black fruit mingled with hints of violet and spices. The palate is round and generous. The wines are typical of their terroir.

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


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - " The 2022 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches (Domaine) is shaping up beautifully, revealing aromas of sweet cherries, cassis, licorice and spices deftly framed by toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit, succulent acids and powdery tannins, the Drouhin's own fully 14 hectares of this prime premier cru, which is divided equally between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. (92-94pts)"


Vinous - "The 2022 Beaune Rouge Clos des Mouches 1er Cru, picked from August 27 to September 5, is more high-toned on the nose compared to Les Cras, offering a mixture of red and blueberry fruit, the 25% whole clusters imparting subtle white pepper and bay leaf notes. The medium-bodied palate has supple tannins and fine acidity, quite dense in the mouth with gentle grip, and hints of black olive towards the finish. Give this Clos des Mouches three or four years in bottle. (92-94pts)"


Decanter - "The highly esteemed white Clos des Mouches from Drouhin boasts marvellous aromas of ripe pear, hazelnut, acacia and beeswax along with the lovely, slightly bitter notes French tasters call 'beaux amers'. There is an elegant structure and enough freshness to ensure long ageing. The wine is assembled from 35 parcels covering roughly seven hectares; the domaine spends ten days picking the grapes – four different days for the white alone. The fruit is fermented in cask (25% new) and aged over two winters before bottling."