Joseph Drouhin, Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc 2011

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches has an attractive nose with spice, jasmine and nectarine scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and impressive delineation with subtle pithy fruit emerging toward the finish, then hints of dried mango and citrus peel lingering on the aftertaste. This is a very fine Clos des Mouches. Drink 2014-2025. It is always a pleasure to meet Veronique Drouhin, although this was actually the first time that I had visited their winery on the southern fringe of Beaune. “All the estate has been under biodynamic practices since the mid-1990s (including Chablis) and organic since 1988,” she said to me as we commenced the tasting. “We have been ECOCERT certified since 2009.” I asked her what tangible difference biodynamics have made. “The estate wines have a lot of depth and energy but what is really better is the pH,” she said. She also cited the arrival of head winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac in 2005 as another reason for the improvement in quality. Now their approach is for no compromise on the fruit and to exact precise viticulture for each vineyard. Veronique told me that their entry level Laforet aims to encapsulate the whole picture of Bourgogne. “We know the wine is consumed young so it is not heavily extracted,” she told me. “We look for a lovely fruity, round, elegant Bourgogne. You know, it is easier to make an Amoureuses than a Burgundy Rouge because of the quantity. It is aged in older barrels and it is bottled sooner than in the past.” Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770

robert_parker87

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. Again, there is some SO2 masking the fruit and delineation on Joseph Drouhin’s Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches that rather deadens the vigor. The palate is just a little reduced on the entry. There is moderate acidity here, not a complex white burgundy, for it is lacking some concentration. But the finish has a prolonged spicy tincture that adds a little intrigue. I was expecting a more positive showing - perhaps this bottle was not quite showing at its best?