France · Côte de Beaune

Maison Joseph Drouhin

Maison Joseph Drouhin is a Burgundy producer founded in Beaune in 1880, managing 93 hectares across Grand Cru and Premier Cru appellations with vineyard holdings in Chablis and an operation in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

The producer

Joseph Drouhin arrived in Beaune from Chablis at age 22 in 1880 and founded Maison Joseph Drouhin as a négociant. The business now manages 93 hectares across Grand Cru and Premier Cru appellations. Its Burgundy holdings are joined by an operation in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Joseph Drouhin's great-grandchildren own and operate the company today.

The range runs from Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc to Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge and Blanc. Bourgogne Rouge has bright ruby colour, raspberry, red currant and wild strawberry aromas, with light tannins. Bourgogne Blanc is golden and lively, with fresh-grape and green-almond aromas. The named Beaune wines bring black cherry, spice, earth, light smoke, floral notes, grilled hazelnut, almond, white truffle, citron and mineral character.

Known for

Regional Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc alongside named Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge and Blanc, with Drouhin's vineyards certified organic by 1990 and all of its vineyards certified by the 2009 vintage.

Notable facts

The story

Oregon, 1987

In 1987, Robert Drouhin bought approximately 100 acres in Oregon's Willamette Valley, a move that surprised many in the wine world. The purchase extended Maison Joseph Drouhin beyond Burgundy and established a Drouhin operation in a second wine region. The holding gave the company an Oregon vineyard base alongside its Burgundy holdings, with approximately 100 acres in the Willamette Valley. Robert's purchase was one defined expansion, tied to a precise place and acreage. The Willamette Valley operation now sits beside the French holdings in the Drouhin family portfolio, under the ownership of Joseph Drouhin's great-grandchildren.

From the atlas

Maison Joseph Drouhin

At A Glance

Maison Joseph Drouhin is a Burgundy producer founded in Beaune in 1880. It manages 93 hectares across Grand Cru and Premier Cru appellations. Joseph Drouhin's great-grandchildren own and operate the company today. The range includes Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc, as well as Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge and Blanc. An operation in Oregon's Willamette Valley extends the family beyond Burgundy.

The bottle names begin with place. Bourgogne and Beaune provide the appellation information, while Rouge and Blanc identify the red and white styles. Grape varieties are not named in this range, so the bottles are organized by place and position.

The Producer

Joseph Drouhin arrived in Beaune from Chablis at age 22 in 1880 and founded the Maison as a négociant. The business now includes 93 hectares of vineyards, with bottles carrying regional Bourgogne names and more specific Beaune names. Joseph's great-grandchildren still own and operate the company. They also operate Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley. The range combines broad Bourgogne appellation labels with named Beaune wines.

Place

Beaune is the town where the company was founded, and Chablis is where Joseph began. In 1968, Robert Drouhin purchased nearly 100 acres of unplanted land in Chablis. This later became a vineyard holding. In 1987, he acquired approximately 100 acres in Oregon's Willamette Valley. The portfolio includes Bourgogne as its regional pair, Beaune Clos des Mouches as a named Beaune wine, and Willamette Valley for the Oregon branch.

Soil And Site

The site information is limited to legal geography. Bourgogne is the regional appellation for the entry pair. Beaune Clos des Mouches is a named Beaune wine, and the holdings span Grand Cru and Premier Cru appellations. Soil, slope, exposure and altitude are not specified. The wine descriptions therefore focus on colour, aroma, texture and mineral character.

Story

Maurice Drouhin helped create the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine in 1935. The body later established France's appellation control system. His work helped give legal form to the place names used on Burgundy labels, including the distinction between a regional Bourgogne wine and a named Beaune wine.

In 1957, Maurice's son Robert took over operations for his ailing father. Robert's leadership began a new working generation for the Maison. He later expanded the business with vineyard purchases in Chablis and Oregon, beyond its beginnings in Beaune.

Vineyards And Cellar

Organic farming developed in stages. Drouhin's vineyards were certified organic by 1990, and all vineyards had organic certification by the 2009 vintage. The dates show the progression from early certified vineyard work to estate-wide coverage. No fermentation, élevage, oak, dosage or blending details are attached to this timeline. The record concerns vineyard certification rather than a stated cellar flavour or ageing profile.

Wines

The range starts with the two Bourgogne wines. Bourgogne Rouge is a red with bright ruby colour and aromas of raspberry, red currant and wild strawberry. Its palate is fruity and refreshing, with light tannins. Bourgogne Blanc is a white with golden yellow colour and a greenish glint. It has fresh-grape and green-almond aromas, a fruity, lively palate and a smooth texture.

Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge and Blanc carry a named Beaune place. The red has darker fruit, spice and earth. The white is floral and fruity, with grilled nut, citron, mineral character and a fuller texture. The range therefore moves from regional colour, fruit and freshness to the aroma, texture and mineral detail of a named Beaune wine.

In The Glass

Across the range, the first sensation is aromatic, followed by the character of the wine on the palate. Bourgogne Rouge begins with red fruit. Its refreshing palate ends with light tannin. Bourgogne Blanc starts with fresh grape and green almond, carries the fruit through a lively mouthfeel and leaves a light texture.

Clos des Mouches follows a different sequence. The white begins with floral aromas and fruit, followed by grilled hazelnut and almond, then white truffle and citron. Its round palate is not heavy, and minerality remains after the citrus notes. The red has a darker fruit scent and a round, velvety palate. It is balanced, soft yet intense, and leaves a smooth impression. The regional Bourgogne wines show direct freshness, while the named Beaune wines add floral, nut, citrus and mineral notes.

A Bottle To Understand It

Start with Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge. It is a named Beaune red with ripe black cherry, spice, earth and light smoke. These aromas lead into a round, velvety palate with a touch of tannin. The wine is soft but intense. Depending on the vintage, it can offer immediate fruit when young or age for 10 to 20 years. It brings the specific place on the label together with the Maison's darker red style.

Anecdote

In 1987, Robert Drouhin bought approximately 100 acres in Oregon's Willamette Valley. The decision surprised many in the wine world. Maison Joseph Drouhin had begun in Beaune after Joseph arrived from Chablis, so the purchase took the company into a second wine region. It expanded the business through land and established a Drouhin operation in Oregon alongside the Burgundy holdings. Domaine Drouhin Oregon became the Oregon counterpart to the French vineyards, beginning with Robert's purchase of approximately 100 acres in the Willamette Valley in 1987.

Final Word

Maison Joseph Drouhin has a Beaune foundation, a 93-hectare Burgundy vineyard portfolio and an Oregon extension. Its labels range from regional Bourgogne wines to named Beaune Clos des Mouches. The wines move from red fruit and freshness toward black cherry, earth, spice, flowers, nuts and minerality. Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge is the natural first bottle for that progression. It offers a specific place, a soft but intense red and an ageing range from youth to 10 or 20 years depending on the vintage.

Sources

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