Joseph Drouhin : Chorey-les-Beaune Village 2021

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Chorey-les-Beaune Village 2021 from Joseph Drouhin

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a bright, clear ruby-red hue.

Nose

The nose offers fine aromatic intensity dominated by red and black fruits. On opening, generous notes of blackberry jam come through. After a few years in the cellar, the bouquet evolves toward aromas of wild blackberry. With time, tertiary notes of truffle, forest floor, and game gradually develop.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its tender, supple, and graceful character. The body is round and harmonious, with a lovely freshness that is typically Burgundian. The tannins are elegant and well integrated, providing a refined structure without aggressiveness. The overall impression is juicy and perfectly balanced, with a moderate alcohol level of around 13%.

Food and wine pairings

This Chorey-les-Beaune Village 2021 pairs ideally with duck, goose, and game birds. It also goes very well with roast chicken, grilled or roasted beef, as well as fine cured meats. Dishes featuring wild mushrooms or truffles make particularly successful pairings. For cheese, opt for soft-ripened styles such as Camembert or Brie.

Serving and cellaring

The Chorey-les-Beaune Village 2021 is best served at a temperature of 16°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve favorably until around 2031. The optimal drinking window is between around 2026 and 2029, when the tertiary aromas will have fully developed.

An elegant, fruit-driven Chorey-les-Beaune

The estate

Founded in 1880 in Beaune by Joseph Drouhin, then twenty-two years old, the Joseph Drouhin House is now run by the family’s fourth generation. Frédéric Drouhin heads the company, while his sister Véronique Boss-Drouhin serves as winemaker, Philippe manages the vineyards, and Laurent oversees North American markets. The house owns around 100 hectares of vines spread across sixty different appellations in Burgundy, including fourteen grands crus and around forty premiers crus. A pioneer in sustainable viticulture, the estate has farmed its entire vineyard biodynamically since 1997, making it one of the largest biodynamic estates in Burgundy. The family has also owned Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley since 1987.

The vineyard

Chorey-les-Beaune lies on the plains at the foot of the Côte d'Or escarpment, immediately to the north and east of the Beaune appellation. The vines grow on soils made up mainly of alluvial limestone marls over a stony subsoil. In certain areas near Aloxe-Corton, there are beds of alluvial gravel rich in limestone, while toward Savigny-les-Beaune the soils become more clay-based with stony limestone components. This geological composition gives the wines natural elegance, moderate structure, and refined tannins.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy was marked by exceptional climatic challenges. After a mild winter and early budbreak at the end of March, devastating frosts hit the region in early April, particularly on the night of April 5 when temperatures dropped as low as minus 7 degrees Celsius. These frosts significantly reduced yields, with Pinot Noir less affected than Chardonnay thanks to its slightly later growing cycle. The months of May and June required heightened vigilance against downy mildew. Fortunately, September brought fine conditions, allowing for healthy harvesting that began on September 10 in the Côte d'Or. Despite reduced volumes, grape concentration and quality proved remarkable.

Winemaking and aging

The Chorey-les-Beaune Village 2021 is made from grapes from family-owned properties as well as selected grape purchases sourced under rigorous specifications. Harvesting is done by hand, with careful sorting carried out both in the vineyard and at the winery. After complete destemming, fermentation takes place in small open vats for two to three weeks, with regular punch-downs and pump-overs. Fermentation is carried out exclusively with native yeasts. After vertical pressing and a blend determined by tasting, the wine is aged for twelve to sixteen months in French oak barrels made from high-forest oak, around 20% of which are new oak. Weekly tastings guide winemaking decisions throughout the aging process.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir