Côte de Beaune blanc Joseph Drouhin

Grape Variety : Chardonnay.

Vineyard :

Site: located in the Beaune area, above the city of Beaune. The appellation Côte de Beaune is given to wines coming from vineyards located on top of the hill overlooking the city of Beaune. It should not be confused with the appellation Côte de Beaune-Villages, the latter given to wines coming from several villages of the Côte de Beaune (but not Beaune itself) and blended together. Côte de Beaune-Villages as an appellation is used only for red wines.

History & tradition: this interesting and unusual wine comes from the estate of Joseph Drouhin on the Côte de Beaune (the slope above Beaune) and some declassified wine from the young vines of the famous Clos des Mouches vineyard.

Soil: lay and limestone. The light soil gives great finesse to the wines.

Drouhin estate: 3ha. (7.5 acres).

Viticulture :

Biological cultivation since 1990; biodynamic cultivation a few years later.

Vine stocks: "sélection massale" (propagation of new vine stocks from a number of selected vines) done at the Drouhin nursery; also clones of recognized quality.

Soil maintenance: compost of manure and white wood, sometimes guano (seabird manure used as fertilizer). Soil is ploughed either by tractor or by horse to manage spreading of weeds.

Treatment: only authorized products for biological cultivation are used: infusions and macerations of plant materials, sulfur and copper, powdered rock. Natural predators are not eliminated.

Plantation density: from 10,000 to 12,500 stocks/ha in order to extract all possible nuances from the terroir and limit the production of each vine stock.

Pruning: Guyot.

Yield: we aim to keep our yields low, more in line with the previous regulation, around 20% less than allowed by the current law.

Supply: grapes and must purchased from regular suppliers.

Vinification :

Harvesting: by hand, in small open crates in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.

Sorting: if necessary, the grapes are sorted twice : once when being picked, the second time on the sorting table at the winery.

Pressing: very slow so as to respect fruit. Juices from the very last pressings are not retained. The wine goes directly into barrels after "débourbage" (decanting of white wine to reduce sediment).

Ageing :

Type: in barrels (20% in new oak).

Length: 12 months.

Origin of the wood: French oak forests (Tronçay in particular).

Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.

Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is then completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.

Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin :

"A truly delicious and harmonious wine. Pale gold color, very bright. The aromas bring to mind honey, almond and lemongrass (citronella). As the wine matures, intense flavors of grilled hazelnut and almonds are in evidence".

Serving :

Temperature: 13°C (55°F).

Cellaring: 3 to 5 years.