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Wine Review

Drouhin White Burgundy 2005 And The ‘Calvert’ Pinot Noirs

By Raymond Chan
The 2005 Burgundy vintage has been hailed as one of the greats. Both red and whites are reported to be outstanding. Prices of the wines from most regions of France, which also experienced superb growing and harvest conditions, have risen sharply, so it was with some trepidation that Regional Wines committed to allocations of burgundy wines. However, our fears of being stuck with slow-moving holdings have proved to be unfounded, as demand for the 2005s have been so strong that by the time this tasting, our first look at the 2005 whites, much of the stock had already been sold.

Maison Joseph Drouhin has been one of our favourite sources of both red and white burgundy over the past two decades, the wines being extremely well-made, stylish, modern, but steeped in traditional values. They avoid the excesses of winemaker signature and always reflect their growing origins and terroir. The major advantage of tasting a range of Drouhin wines is that the breadth of appellations covered by way of their own domaine wines as well as the negociant wines, gives a fabulous overview of the region. For the 2005 white burgundies, we had the opportunity of looking at the wines of Chablis, from village to grand cru; from Macon village to Puligny-Montrachet grand cru. Few other single sources of white burgundy could enable this perspective, especially at the very high level of quality and authenticity that Drouhin can do.

As an additional tasting, after looking at the Drouhin 2005 white burgundies, we tasted three Pinot Noir wines from the Calvert vineyard in Central Otago, all from 2006, but from different winemakers. This was a study in ‘winemaker signature’ – the opposite of ‘terroir’.

Following are my notes and scores on the 2005 Drouhin whites, served blind and in pairs, after which is a report on the Calvert Pinot Noir comparison.

Flight One: Village Wines


Simpler wines, true to their origin.

Drouhin Chablis 2005
12.5% alc, domaine fruit, Drouhin has 40 ha in the Chablis appellation. Very pale straw yellow with a pale edge, youthful in appearance. Very fine, very tight nose, shy and reserved with minerally aromas, slate and flint aromas showing. Very fine textured wine with crisp, refreshing acidity. Tightly constructed, classic mineral and flint flavours, quite mouth filling. Excellent crisp and dry finish. Textbook Chablis and vibrant with it. Marginally the preferred wine of the flight for the group of tasters. My score 17.5+/20

Drouhin Saint-Veran 2005
13.0% alc, not domaine fruit, from the Macon. Straw yellow colour with light golden hues. Fullish, fat nose with ripe tropical fruits on the nose, very New World-like. Dry, full and quite fat on palate with ripe tropical fruit flavours, not quite the acidity or zing of the Chablis, quite solid and dense. Marginally the second preferred of the pair by the group of tasters. My score 16.5/20

Flight Two: Chablis Premier Cru


More weight showing, but with textbook mineral and flint characters. Many experienced tasters regard premier cru Chablis is the best expression of the appellation.

Drouhin Chablis 1er Cru ‘Montmains’ 2005
12.5% alc, domaine fruit from the 37 ha site. Highly regarded premier cru site. Pale straw yellow with a pale edge. Very delicate and shy nose, but excellent floral lift, with minerals and slate, the intensity building with air time. Dry, steely and acidic, the minerally flavours pronounced. Steely and tight giving a restraint. Excellent concentration and some grip too. Long finish, carried by the acidity, The more preferred wine of the pair for the tasters. My score 18.0+/20

Drouhin Chablis 1er Cru ‘Vaillons’ 2005
12.5% alc, domaine fruit, from the 105 ha site. Highly-regarded premier cru site. Pale straw yellow colour with pale edge. Very fine, intense and concentrated nose, textbook minerals and flint on the nose. Fuller, weightier wine than the Montmains, with some sulphide notes and alcoholic warmth. A broader, fatter wine, soft and rounded, but with good acidity and freshness, nevertheless. The lesser preferred of the pair for the tasters. My score 17.5-/20

Flight Three: Chablis Grand Cru


A pair with more depth, intensity and weight. Grand cru Chablis can be too heavy and coarse, often with too much oak, but these were well-judged in structure and oak expression.

Drouhin Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Clos’ 2005
13.0% alc, domaine fruit, from the 27 ha site. Regarded as the top grand cru site. Bright straw yellow colour with a light edge. Great purity of minerally, and flinty fruit on the nose, real depth and cut. Quite stunning on bouquet. Very fine and crisp on palate, this combines minerally cut with richness and ripeness. Lovely fragrant hints of tropical fruits, the fruit extraction giving some grip. Superb acidity and length. However, the lesser preferred of the pair by the tasters. My score 18.5/20

Drouhin Chablis Grand Cru ‘Bougros’ 2005
13.0% alc, domaine fruit, from the 14 ha site. One of the lesser regarded grand cru sites. Straw yellow colour with a hint of gold. Soft, full, broader nose, less focussed with a sulphide note to the bouquet. Fuller, softer wine, broad and with some weight and depth. Less fruit definition, and quite open and accessible. Some sulphides, moderate length. The more preferred by the tasters. My score 17.5+/20

Flight Four: Beaune/Meursault Premier Cru


Grouped together for their broader character.

Drouhin Meursault 1er Cru ‘Perrieres’ 2005
13.5%, not domaine fruit, from the 13.72 ha site on the Puligny-Montrachet border, regarded as the best of the premier crus. Straw yellow with a youthful pale edge. Very fine, very rich but refined nose with beautiful mealy, nutty fruit aromas, and a floral note. Great purity and depth. Refined and tightly bound, this has minerally, mealy and nutty fruit, with lovely richness and purity. Floral nuances show, the wine has a very fine texture and fresh acidity. Finishes with good length. The more preferred of the pair by the group. My score 19.0-/20

Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru ‘Clos des Mouches’ 2005
13.5% alc, domaine fruit. From 12.6 ha of Chardonnay planted on this well-regarded 25.18 ha premier cru site. Straw yellow colour with golden hues, good depth. Fuller, broader nose with complexity from nutty, mealy fruit and oak, along with some sulphide. Good power. Full, fat and soft on the palate, quite dense, with ripe fruit, mealy and hints of tropicals, with nutty notes. There is sweetness and oak adding to the richness and power. Drying finish, that could be more refined. The lesser preferred of the pair for the tasters. My score 18.0+/20

Flight Five: Puligny/Chassagne Premier

The Products...
DROUHIN BATARD-MONTRACHET 05
Drouhin Batard-Montrachet 05
Drouhin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2005 13.5% alc, not dom...
$385.35 750 MLS
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Staff Recommendations

DAVID

Easter weekend I flew up to Auckland and had a great time visiting family. I made sure I went to Maison Vauron, a must if you enjoy French wines and also Galbraiths to try a few craft beers.

RICHARD

Roast Chicken for dinner evidently. Which Kumeu River Chardy shall I choose?
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