Why it matters
The producer
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze is based in Gevrey-Chambertin and farms 11.5 hectares across multiple appellations. Its holdings include six Grand Crus, among them Musigny, Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze. The portfolio also includes Premier Cru and village wines from Gevrey-Chambertin.
The wines are often approachable in their youth, with expressive fruit alongside great detail across the range. The domaine combines a family history with a broad spread of named Burgundy vineyards.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The vineyards extend from Vougeot in the south to Brochon in the north, with Gevrey-Chambertin as the domaine's home village. This spread places several village and vineyard names within one estate portfolio.
Burgundy's village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru terms describe different levels of vineyard classification. A village wine carries the commune name, a Premier Cru names a classified vineyard within that commune, and a Grand Cru identifies the highest vineyard category. Domaine Drouhin-Laroze works across all three levels.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Oak treatment changes by wine. Bonnes Mares is matured in oak barrels with 80% new barrels, made from wood from the Allier and Nivernais regions. Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaut-St-Jacques is matured in 40% new oak barrels together with barrels previously used for one wine, also made from wood from Allier and Nivernais.
New oak can contribute wood aroma, spice and a broader texture as wine matures. Barrels that have already held wine contribute less new wood character while still allowing the slow oxygen exchange used during élevage. The two documented wines therefore receive different oak treatments within the same estate cellar.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range moves from Gevrey-Chambertin village wines to Premier Cru and Grand Cru bottlings. The Grand Cru portfolio includes Musigny, Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze among six Grand Crus, and over 40% of the estate's vineyard holdings are in Grand Cru appellations.
Gevrey-Chambertin Vignes Belles represents the village level. It has an aromatic, fleshy palate and a finish. Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaut-St-Jacques narrows the address to a named vineyard, while Bonnes Mares belongs to the Grand Cru tier.