MyWinePal: All About Burgundy With Laurent Drouhin from Domaine Joseph Drouhin

Recently, I attended a Burgundy seminar led by Laurent Drouhin, a fourth-generation family member and Export Director of Maison Joseph Drouhin, in Vancouver. Laurent brings over 140 years of family heritage to the seminar. He started off by introducing us to the supply pyramid of Burgundy wines, followed by the effects of climate change on the vineyards, the philosophy and practices of their family in the vineyards and in the production of wines, and finally some insights into the recent best vintages of red and white Burgundy. Along the way, we would sample one of six wines produced by their family. There were three red and three white wines to taste.

Maison Joseph Drouhin is one of the very few remaining family-owned and family-operated major producers in Burgundy (placed within the 0.001% of French businesses operating continuously under four active siblings):

Véronique Drouhin: Winemaker for Oregon and “guardian of the house style” in Burgundy. (The Drouhin family bought the initial property in the Dundee Hills in 1987, officially founding the Oregon estate with the first vintage in 1988. Note, none of the wines we tasted were from Oregon.)
Philippe Drouhin: Estate Manager; led the transition to organic and biodynamic viticulture starting in the mid-1980s.
Laurent Drouhin: Export Director for North America.
Frédéric Drouhin: President of the company.

I will cover my tasting notes of these six wines after I report on what we covered and learned at this seminar by Laurent Drouhin.

Burgundy’s Supply Pyramid

Compared to Bordeaux, Burgundy operates on a fraction of the land. The core regions of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune produce 14 times less wine than Bordeaux. Even when incorporating all five sub-regions, stretching from the Mâconnais in the south up to Chablis in the north, Burgundy is still nine times smaller in total production. This scarcity of land and vineyards becomes more clear when we examine Burgundy’s quality hierarchy, known as the Appellation Pyramid:

Burgundy’s Appellation Pyramid
Grand Cru: Represents roughly 1% of total regional production (fluctuating slightly by vintage and yields).
Premier Cru: Accounts for an average of 10% to 11%.
Village Level: Makes up approximately 37%.

The sought-after village-level wines and higher represent less than 50% of Burgundy’s total annual output. The remainder falls into regional classifications such as Bourgogne Rouge or Blanc. Compounding this structural limit, recent harvests, such as 2021, which was severely damaged by spring frost and hail, and 2024, which was plagued by destructive mildew, have suffered yield drops of 5% to 6% annually across the region. Burgundy’s regional borders are legally fixed by soil geology, so producers cannot simply plant more acreage to meet the rising demand. Maison Joseph Drouhin only owns 100 ha of vineyards in Burgundy (50% Grand Cru/Premier Cru and 50% Village/Regional), including 40 hectares in Chablis (acquired starting in 1968) and 50 hectares in the Côte d’Or.

The Viticultural Shift Caused by Climate Change

Climate change has dramatically altered Burgundy’s viticultural clock, according to Laurenbt. Previous generations picked during the third week of September, hoping grapes would reach potential alcohol levels of 11.5% to 12%. Today, picking regularly commences in mid-August, with winemakers striving to harvest early enough to keep potential alcohol below 14%. This rapid warming creates a technical challenge to synchronize sugar accumulation with phenolic maturity.

To preserve harmony in their wines, Drouhin adapts vineyard management practices of proactive canopy control, searching for heat-resistant Pinot Noir clones, and relying heavily on old vine resilience. While their young vines suffered severe drought stress during heatwaves, their old vines pushed roots up to 20 feet down into limestone cracks, drawing deep moisture to yield wines with exceptional density, acidity, and structure.

Recent yields in Burgundy:

2021 Vintage: Severely reduced volume caused by spring frost and hail.
2023 Vintage: High yields, but required precise canopy and mildew management.
2024 Vintage: Extremely low volume caused by severe downy mildew pressure.
2026/Recent Vintage Cycles: Quality remains high, particularly for reds showing vibrant natural acidity despite elevated sugar levels, but intense heat waves reduced overall volume.

The Drouhin Philosophy: Elegance Over Extraction

Maison Joseph Drouhin operates on three foundational pillars established by its founder: Complexity, Elegance, and Finesse. While industry trends in the 1980s pushed many producers toward heavy extraction, deeper colours, and prominent new oak treatment, the Drouhin family maintained their restrained signature style. For Drouhin, winemaking is about honouring the unique identity of the vineyard site rather than emphasizing the grape variety. Laurent noted, “Musigny is not a Pinot Noir; it’s a Musigny. Montrachet is not a Chardonnay; it’s a Montrachet.”

This philosophy led Philippe Drouhin to transition the family estate to organic and then biodynamic viticulture beginning in the mid-1980s. The shift was driven by a commitment to preserve the biological life and genetic heritage of the soil.

Another back-to-the-future moment for the family is the use of horse-plowing in their vineyards. In Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards like Clos des Mouches, Drouhin uses horses instead of heavy tractors. Heavy machinery compacts soil layers of clay and limestone, depriving the ground of oxygen and harming beneficial soil microorganisms. Horses aerate the topsoil without crushing its living structure or damaging deep roots.

While open to diagnostic technologies (e.g., using drones for early disease detection), Maison Drouhin explicitly rejects automated or data-driven winemaking decisions:

Winemaking requires sensory evaluation, historical intuition, and human judgment.
Technical perfection driven purely by data risks eliminating the “soul” and character of the wine.
Winemakers Véronique Drouhin and Jérôme Flous evaluate every fermenting vat and barrel daily via direct tasting.

Exceptional Recent Vintages

Laurent advised looking to the 2021 and 2024 whites for stunning natural acidity, energy, and crisp purity. And turn to the 2023, 2025, and upcoming 2026 reds for exceptional density, balance, fine tannin structure, and complete phenolic maturity.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Maison Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Chardonnay 2020 – a medium-plus, bright lemon colour. Rich, ripe nose with aromas of ripe stone fruits, apples, pears, and vanilla. Dry, medium-minus body, with a soft, smooth, lean mouthfeel. Light apple and a touch of oak on the palate. Fresh flavours with a touch of pepperiness. Medium-plus length.

Maison Joseph Drouhin Chablis 2024 – a light, bright lemon colour. Light but rich aromas of pears along with stoniness. Dry, medium-minus body with a lean mouthfeel. Tart/crisp apple and pears on the palate with a hint of vanilla. –

Maison Joseph Drouhin Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2023 – This wine is barrel-aged. It has a medium-plus, bright lemon colour in the glass. Light aromas of apple and a touch of toast. It is dry with a smooth, soft, medium body. Texture in your mouth. Apple, stoniness, and touches of sweet spice and oak. There is some bitter apple skin on the finish. Medium-plus length.

Maison Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Chardonnay 2020, Chablis 2024, Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2023 wines

Maison Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023 – a medium intensity, a consistent garnet colour from core to the rim. Medium-plus intensity aromas of red fruits and sweet spices. Dry, medium body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Red cherries, candied cherries, red fruits, floral, and touches of oak and sweet spices on the palate. Tasty. Fresh flavours. Acid driven.

Maison Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune Rouge 2022 – a medium to medium-plus clear garnet colour in the glass. Very light aromas of cherries. Medium body, with a soft but thicker mouthfeel. Light acidity and tannins. Light flavours of red fruit and ripe cherries. Less structure on the palate. Medium-plus length. Tannins pick up on the finish. This is from young vines, so this wine is not yet too expressive according to Laurent.

Maison Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 2023 – it has a deep, clear garnet colour. Medium-intensity, deep aromas of sweet spices and ripe, dark fruits. Full body, round, smooth, with a thicker mouthfeel. Balanced tannins, acidity, and fruit flavours. Sweet, ripe dark fruit flavours. Fine-grained tannins that pick up on the finish but are never harsh. Medium acidity. A very nice mouthfeel. Medium-plus length. A rich and ripe wine. Top quality. –

Maison Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023, Cote de Beaune Rouge 2022, and Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 2023 wines

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

A range of Maison Joseph Drouhin wines can be purchased at BC Liquor stores, Everything Wine stores, Marquis Wine Cellars, and other private wine stores.