MyWinePal: Drouhin Family Pinot Noir From Burgundy to OregonPR SAMPLE

I received two bottles of Pinot Noir from the Maison Joseph Drouhin family. The first wine, Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2021 comes from Burgundy, while the second wine, Domaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022, comes from Oregon state.

Some Background

The Pinot Noir grape variety has a deep history in Burgundy, with the first plantings possibly dating back to 150 BC. Maison Joseph Drouhin sees their Bourgogne Pinot Noir as the archetype for the region, drawing on this heritage. Their vineyard management in Burgundy involves meticulous attention to detail throughout the year, including spreading organic components, pruning, ploughing, tying-up, trimming, and using plant-based preparations for disease prevention. Winemaking involves total destemming, 1 to 2 weeks of maceration and fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and pressing. The wine then undergoes aging for 10 to 14 months, with remains mixed with 15 to 20% new oak barrels. Decisions during aging prioritize the true expression of terroir and vintage character.

The Drouhin Family (Image courtesy drouhin.com)

The establishment of Domaine Drouhin Oregon (DDO) proceeded when Véronique Boss-Drouhin purchased land atop the Dundee Hills in 1987, recognizing the potential for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with the aim to create an estate winery in the Dundee Hills that could rival Burgundy’s great vineyards. The 235-acre estate overlooking the Willamette Valley was selected for its remarkable similarity in climate, latitude, and aspect to the legendary vineyards of Burgundy. They use rootstock grown on the estate, selected to suit specific vineyard sites.

Vineyard work is farmed sustainably, L.I.V.E. certified, and tended entirely by hand, including leaf and fruit thinning and harvesting. Winemaking utilizes techniques adapted from what the Drouhin family learned in Burgundy since 1880. Grapes are hand-picked. Fermentations last 7–12 days, employing Burgundian techniques like pigeage (punch-down) and remontage (pump-over). DDO Pinot Noir is aged in both new (20%) and neutral French oak barrels, custom-made in Burgundy, for 12–14 months, followed by maturation in bottle.

Both locations emphasize the importance of terroir and hand-based practices, but Domaine Drouhin Oregon represents a specific estate endeavour in Oregon while the Burgundy operation draws from multiple historical appellations.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2021 (BC $35.99)

A dozen various appellations were used for this wine. The 2021 vintage has greatly affected yields, resulting in one of the smallest harvests Burgundy has ever seen. According to the winery, it is a vintage with a rather Burgundian style, showing fruitiness and a lot of freshness.

Appearance: A clear, medium intensity garnet colour. A consistent, translucent to the core colour.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of red fruit, flint / earthiness, sweet spices, then tea leaves at the end. It has lighter, but same aromas after decanting, plus a touch of leather.
Palate: Dryish or fruity, with a soft, smooth, lean, light mouthfeel. The wine gets bigger and rounder with swirl time. Medium acidity and lighter tannins. Raspberries, red cherries and red fruit flavours. Light oak and a touch of leather. You get some sweeter red fruit flavours toward the finish. The wine is drier, less fruit-forward, and lighter bodied after decanting. It now has more tart red fruit flavours.
Finish: Medium-plus to long length, finishing with lighter drying tannins. Sweet red fruit and touches of leather, pepperiness and tart red fruit flavours on the finish. Medium intensity drying tannins and a tarter finish after decanting.

An elegant wine with a light touch. No decanting recommended as you get more aromas and flavours from this wine.

Rating: – The Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2021 is a graceful, lighter-bodied Pinot with aromas of red fruit, earthiness, and sweet spice, gaining a touch of leather after decanting. The palate is soft and smooth with raspberry and red cherry flavours, light oak, and a lean, elegant structure that becomes more tart and drier with air. It finishes with medium-plus length, showing sweet and tart red fruits, a touch of leather, and medium tannins.

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2021 and Domaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022 with wines in glasses

Domaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022 (BC $59.99, not currently available)

The 2022 season started with bud break in early April, but then was hit by snow and below freezing temperatures. A first-ever frost that affected their vineyards. The next months were cool, but sunshine later in the summer and during harvest provided ripe grapes, but lower in volume.

I noticed that this bottle was significantly heavier than the Bourgogne bottle. Not sure if this was due to supply chain issues in limiting bottle selection, or a choice by the winery.

Appearance: A deep, clear garnet colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of tea leaves, ripe red fruit, plums, oak, and toast. Toastiness increases with swirling. Lighter aromas after decanting. Less toast and tea leaves aromas.
Palate: This wine is dryish, with medium-plus body, and a smooth, round, almost mouth filling mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Flavours of sweet red fruit, plums, cinnamon, and tea leaves on the palate, along with a touch of pepperiness and oak. The wine tastes drier after decanting, and you get red fruit, not sweet red fruit flavour. There is also some mace spice and the wine has a leaner mouthfeel.
Finish: A medium-plus length, finishing with firmer drying tannins, sweet red fruit, oak and tea leaves flavours. Medium acidity. Medium tannins after decanting, and the red fruits are less sweet.

A bigger Pinot Noir wine with ripe red fruit aromas and flavours. Can age at least 4-5 years, but very enjoyable now.

Rating: 4.5 stars The Domaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022 shows elegant restraint, offering aromas of ripe red fruit, plums, oak, and a hint of tea leaves that lessen with decanting. On the palate, it is smooth and round with sweet red fruit, spice, and subtle oak, transitioning to a drier, leaner profile after decanting. A medium-plus finish brings firmer tannins, with lingering red fruit and tea leaf notes.

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

The Domaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022 is from the USA, so it is not available in Canada at the moment. But the Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2021 is from France, so it is available. You can purchase it at BC Liquor stores. I checked a few popular private wine shops, but did not see it listed on their websites. Check your local shop.

Did You Notice?

Lastly, did you notice the similarities in the labelling between the two bottles? It seems like the Drouhin family uses very similar decoration with the capsule colour (red) and naming on the capsule, the shoulder label with the three points on the top and one below with the name of the winery and vintage, then the main white label, with the name written in script.