Joseph DROUHIN and the New
World
"Burgundy grape in the North West ? Why not, since the climate in Oregon is very similar to Burgundy. A thorough examination of viticulture, vinification and aging in the New World was necessary to let the Pinot Noir grape express itself fully. For us Burgundians, it is a fascinating venture". Véronique Drouhin
Domaine Drouhin Oregon is located in the "Red Hills", of Oregon, 30 miles south of Portland. The whole estate is about 60 hectares (150 acres), of which 36 (90 acres) are now planted. There are 6 hectares (15 acres) of Chardonnay.
A bolt from the blue
Robert Drouhin started to travel in the early 1960’s to visit his importers around the world. They soon became personal friends. One of them, from California, guided him through the extraordinarily beautiful states of the West Coast. Robert discovered Oregon, once explored by French missionaries and fur-traders that followed the
Oregon Trail. Its climate reminded him very much of Burgundy. There were already a few vineyards planted at the beginning of the 1970’s. During a prestigious blind tasting organized in Paris in 1980, an Oregon Pinot Noir took first place, before a Burgundy wine.
Robert Drouhin’s curiosity was of course piqued and over the years he kept in touch with his West Coast friends. A few years later, his daughter Véronique, who had just finished an internship at an Oregon winery, came back full of enthusiasm. In 1987, an admirably situated piece of land became available. Robert Drouhin and Véronique instantly fell in love with the spot, a gentle volcanic slope with a perfect southern exposure. Domaine Drouhin Oregon was born. Véronique Drouhin became its winemaker. The first wine, made from grapes purchased elsewhere and in a rented facility, was very well received by press and trade alike.
The challenge
That first year, everything had to be started from scratch. Planting came first. The Pinot Noir stocks where selected in the area. Later, a nursery was added.
Just like in Burgundy, Drouhin planted the vineyard with a high density in order to obtain grapes with high concentration. Drouhin opted for a density of 7,700 stocks per hectare, whereas the average in Oregon is a round 4,500. A splendid winery was built on the slope of the estate. Its main originality resides in the four levels so that the processing of grape to wine can be accomplished using gravity only. The methods used are very similar to those in place in Burgundy. In a way, the wines of Domaine Drouhin Oregon are the happy beneficiaries of 125 years of experience and Véronique often says "Oregon soil, French soul".
Success
The first vintage made from grapes entirely grown on the estate was 1991. In 2002, the Wine Spectator placed Domaine Drouhin among the top 100 wines (no Burgundy made it to the list that year). Since 2004, all Domaine Drouhin wines come from the estate’s grapes.
