From the atlas
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
A Gevrey-Chambertin family domaine with red wines ranging from village bottlings to named Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Home | Gevrey-Chambertin |
| Grand Cru holdings | Musigny, Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze |
| Named Premier Cru | Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaut-St-Jacques |
| Village wine | Gevrey-Chambertin Vignes Belles |
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
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.
Story
Jean-Baptiste Laroze started a vineyard operation in Gevrey-Chambertin in 1850. Six generations have managed the domaine since that beginning. The family operation continues through an estate whose holdings now include village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines.
The founding remains part of the domaine's working history, while the current portfolio carries names from Gevrey-Chambertin and other Burgundy vineyards held by the estate.
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
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.
In The Glass
Across the range, the wines can be approachable in youth, with overtly expressive fruit and great detail. The fruit remains a central feature while the wines retain the shape associated with red Burgundy from named village and vineyard sites.
Bonnes Mares shows a vermilion hue, followed by discreet hints of blackcurrant bud and flowers. Aeration brings spices, small red fruit and liquorice. The wine is dense and harmonious, with depth.
A Bottle To Understand It
Gevery-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaut-St-Jacques is the bottle to open first. The wine comes from a 0.30 hectare plot planted in 1943, giving the Premier Cru label a specific parcel and vine age.
Its aromas of red fruit and violet lead to a lively, fruity palate with morello. Firm tannins give the wine shape, and the palate has good length. The bottle keeps the range at vineyard scale without moving immediately to the Grand Cru tier.
Anecdote
In 1919, Suzanne, the granddaughter of Jean-Baptiste Laroze and daughter of Félix, married Alexandre Drouhin. Alexandre owned vines in Chambolle-Musigny. The marriage joined Suzanne's Laroze vineyard operation with Alexandre's holdings, and the estate was henceforth called Drouhin-Laroze. The event brought two vineyard lines under one name. From that point, the merged estate carried the surname created by Suzanne's marriage and Alexandre's vineyard ownership.
Final Word
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze is a Gevrey-Chambertin family domaine whose wines connect village bottlings, a 1943 Premier Cru parcel and Grand Cru holdings such as Bonnes Mares.
Sources
1. https://m.drouhin-laroze.com/en/le-domaine/histoire 2. https://www.polanerselections.com/producers/drouhin-laroze/ 3. https://www.drouhin-laroze.com/en/our-wines/4/bonnes-mares 4. https://m.drouhin-laroze.com/en/our-wines/8/gevrey-chambertin-premier-cru-lavaut-st-jacques 5. https://m.drouhin-laroze.com/en/our-wines/23/gevrey-chambertin-vignes-belles