1999 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France
The 1999 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin holds a lovely combination of dark fruit, earthiness, and mature savory complexity. Drouhin’s retrospective tasting specifically highlights wax, humus, forest floor, and considerable complexity. A beautifully mature, earthy expression of Gevrey-Chambertin - elegant, savory, complex, and tertiary.
$319.99
$319.99
There are 10 units left in stock.
ABOUT THIS WINE
Drouhin sources this Gevrey-Chambertin from partner growers in the communes of Gevrey-Chambertin and Brochon. The soils are relatively lean and shallow, with limestone and reddish-brown clay/marl. That combination tends to give Gevrey its characteristic mix of darker Pinot fruit, earthiness, structure, and savory complexity.
For this bottling, the fruit was hand-harvested and fully destemmed, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in small open vats. Fermentation and maceration lasted roughly 2–3 weeks, with both punch-downs and pump-overs. After vertical pressing, the wine was matured for 14–16 months in French oak, approximately 20–25% new. Drouhin's intention is relatively restrained élevage—supporting the fruit and terroir rather than giving the wine a strongly oaky character.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Joseph Drouhin is one of the largest and most famous producers in Burgundy, making both domaine and négociant wines. It remains family-owned and run, now in the hands of the fourth generation.
The wine company was founded in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin at the age of 22. Originally from Chablis, he moved south to Beaune to found the company. He handed the operation to his son Maurice who started buying vineyards, including the family’s monopole Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches and a plot in Granc Cru Clos de Vougeot.
In 1957, Robert took over from his father Maurice and expanded the operation, significantly building up its reputation. He was on the INAO committee (which helped classifiy the vineyards of Burgundy) and involved in the Hospices de Beaune, as well as having distribution rights for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (indeed, he was offered the chance to become a shareholder during the same period as Leroy). He also bought swathes of vineyard, especially in Chablis, an area where he saw great potential.
Today the company is run by his son Frédéric, with Robert’s three other children all involved: Véronique as winemaker, Philippe in the vineyards and Laurent handling exports.
