Dear *|FNAME|*,

The exceptional 2020s from Burgundy are in short supply! According to Allen Meadows of Burghound fame, the 2020s from benchmark producer Joseph Drouhin are ‘well worth seeking out’. Allocations for 2021 will be even slimmer, so now is the time to fill those Burgundy boots.

Drouhin’s 2020 Chablis Vaudon is ‘a classic’, enthuses Jancis Robinson, and at R420, it’s one of the best priced Chablis out there. Their Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche is consistently classy. ‘Superb,’ writes Neal Martin, and ‘convincing stuff’, says Robinson of the 2020.

For reds that offer value, look to their Côte-de-Beaune and Volnay village wines. The allocation for this vintage was so small that we opted to purchase some of their delicious 2018s again too! ‘Beaune is the hidden gem in the Côte d’Or,’ and ‘there is certainly a sense of forward momentum in Volnay,’ says Martin of the 2020s.

‘The Drouhin style of elegance and refinement seems to marry particularly well with hotter, riper vintages and such is the case in 2020.’ – Allen Meadows

2020 seems blessed by more freshness than 2019. It was the earliest vintage to date, without the prolonged heatwave of 2019. The warm days were rarer, the nights cooler, and the grapes exceptionally healthy. The whites are classic, saline and mineral, while the reds are energetic, powerful and effortlessly balanced. View the full range here.

Since its founding in 1880, Joseph Drouhin has been considered one of the best and most consistent producers in Burgundy. With 73 hectares of biodynamically-farmed vines in close to 90 different appellations, they offer a fascinating array of Burgundy terroirs.

Reply to this email or visit our website to place your order online.

Vinous regards,

Tasting notes

Joseph Drouhin Chablis Vaudon 2020

‘Flinty, stony and spicy in a way that tastes green and at the same time almost salty – cardamom, ground Persian lime, samphire. Classic Chablis reductiveness. All the emphasis and focus of this wine is on minerallity and it wears its outer-edge, cool-climate outer marginality with pride.’ – Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com, 16/20

Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche 2020

‘The 2020 Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot, 1er Cru (Marquis de Laguiche) has a slightly more tropical influenced bouquet compared to the Clos des Mouches Blanc, with passion fruit, nectarine and peach skin aromas. The palate is well balanced with hints of apricot and orange rind on the entry, a fine bead of acidity with ample depth and vigour on the finish. Superb.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 92-94/100

‘Cask sample. Big and sinewy but with excellent acidity. Convincing, solid stuff. Long and fresh too. Great stuff!’ – Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20

Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune-Villages 2018

‘Ripe and succulent, this red evokes cherry, raspberry, currant and spice flavors. A light earthy note chimes in as it plays out on the finish. Shows fine balance and length.’ – Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, 90/100

‘Pretty spice nuances suffuse the ripe aromas of plum, black raspberry and soft menthol and oak. As one would reasonably expect the medium weight flavors possess a more sophisticated texture while offering discernibly better depth and persistence on the balanced and moderately firm finish.’ – Allen Meadows, Burghound.com, 89/100

Joseph Drouhin Volnay 2020

‘The 2020 Volnay Village offers blue fruit on the nose, pure and charming, the oak here nicely integrated. The palate is smooth on the entry, fine depth, slightly peppery on the finish that might dupe you into thinking there is some whole cluster when there is none. This Pommard-like Volnay should age with style.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 90/100

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