drouhin balson

Our wines

Côte de Beaune Blanc

Côte de Beaune Blanc

Service

  • Cellaring

    Optimal consumption: 4 to 6 years

    Ageing potential: 8 years

  • Tasting temperature

    13°C (55°F)

Grape variety

Chardonnay

Vineyard

Producing commune: Beaune.

Site: located in the Beaune area, above the city of Beaune. The appellation Côte de Beaune is given to wines coming from vineyards located on top of the hill overlooking the city of Beaune. It should not be confused with the appellation Côte de Beaune-Villages, the latter given to wines coming from several villages of the Côte de Beaune (but not Beaune itself) and blended together. Côte de Beaune-Villages as an appellation is used only for red wines.

History & tradition: this interesting and unusual wine comes from the estate of Joseph Drouhin on the Côte de Beaune (the slope above Beaune) and some declassified wine from the young vines of the famous Clos des Mouches vineyard.

Soil: lay and limestone. The light soil gives great finesse to the wines.

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Tasting

by Véronique Boss-Drouhin

A truly delicious and harmonious wine. Pale gold colour, very bright. The aromas bring to mind honey, almond and lemongrass (citronella). As the wine matures, intense flavours of grilled hazelnut and almonds are in evidence.

Vintage

The vagaries of the 2021 vintage have greatly affected yields, resulting in one of the smallest harvests Burgundy has ever seen. The whites are less opulent than previous vintages; they are well-balanced with lovely aromatics without excessive extravagance.

Vintage review

Winemaking

Supply: this wine comes from grapes harvested on some parcels of the Drouhin Family Properties as well as from grapes and musts purchased from supply partners according to rigorous specifications.

Harvest: grapes harvested by hands in open-work crates. If necessary, a careful sorting is proceeded.

Vinification: slow pressing in a pneumatic press. The juice of the last press is separated from the free run-juice. The juice is transferred into wine barrel after a little settling.  

Ageing: the alcoholic fermentation as the malolactic and the ageing are being processed in oak barrels. The proportion of new barrels is around 10% to 15%. 
The ageing lasts between 12 to 14 months.

Origin of the wood: oak grown in French high forest.

Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.