Joseph Drouhin : Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand cru 2019

Tasting characteristics and advice for Joseph Drouhin’s Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a beautiful intense ruby-red hue, deep and vibrant.

Nose

Powerful yet refined, the nose in its youth evokes aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate. With aeration, the aromatic palette gradually becomes more complex, revealing notes of sweet spices, licorice and undergrowth.

Palate

Rich and complex, the palate offers a velvety texture that envelops a fine, well-defined tannic structure. The tannins provide excellent structure, perfectly balanced by the wine’s roundness. Natural acidity brings a lively tension and remarkable length, with a lingering finish that brings back notes of cherry and licorice in a kaleidoscope of sensations.

Food and wine pairings

This Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 pairs beautifully with feathered game meats such as roasted partridge or woodcock in sauce. It also goes wonderfully with roasted red meats such as lamb in its juices or grilled rib of beef, as well as long-simmered stews like coq au vin. Washed-rind cheeses such as Époisses or Taleggio, as well as aged Comté, also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve the Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 at a temperature between 16 and 18 °C. Optimal drinking is between 15 and 20 years after the harvest, with aging potential reaching around 30 years under ideal cellaring conditions.

A full-bodied Bourgogne Grand Cru with beautiful finesse

The estate

Founded in 1880 in Beaune, the Joseph Drouhin House is one of the most respected dynasties in Bourgogne. Run since 2003 by the family’s fourth generation, with Frédéric Drouhin as president and Véronique Boss-Drouhin in charge of winemaking, the House owns nearly 250 acres of vineyards spanning 60 distinct appellations, including 14 Grands Crus and 20 Premiers Crus. A pioneer of organic and biodynamic farming since the late 1980s, with certification obtained as early as 1990, Maison Joseph Drouhin embodies Burgundian excellence through wines that express with elegance and finesse the essence of each terroir.

The vineyard

Chambertin-Clos de Bèze covers 14.53 hectares in the northern part of the Côte de Nuits, in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin. This legendary vineyard, whose history dates back to the 7th century with the monks of the Abbey of Bèze, benefits from a mainly eastern exposure and a gentle slope of around 11%. Altitude ranges from 275 to 300 meters. The soils reveal a complex stratification: pink-tan, stony Premeaux limestone at the top of the slope, transitioning to deep, brown, clay-rich soils toward the base. The bedrock, extremely rich in fossils, bears witness to the tropical marine environment that covered this region 150 million years ago, giving the wine its characteristic minerality.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage stands as one of the greatest recent vintages for red wines from Bourgogne. Summer was remarkably hot, with several heatwaves in late June, mid-July and throughout August. However, water reserves accumulated during the winter ensured harmonious grape ripening. In late August and early September, a cool northerly wind rose, drying out the grapes and enabling sugars and acidity to concentrate at the same time. This defining moment of the vintage made it possible to harvest grapes with both depth and energy, producing wines that are full and silky while remaining charming and full of delicacy.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 are hand-harvested into ventilated crates, with careful selection in the vineyard and upon arrival. Vinification includes 20 to 50% whole clusters depending on the year’s profile. Fermentation takes place in small open wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, accompanied by punch-downs and pump-overs carried out by hand twice a day for 2 to 3 weeks. After pressing in a vertical press, aging takes place in French oak barrels for 16 to 20 months, with 30% new barrels. No fining or filtration is generally applied, thus preserving the wine’s natural fullness and minerality.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir