Beaune Clos des Mouches Premier Cru L'Ouvree des Dames White Dry Wine Chardonnay 2005 750ml / Joseph Drouhin

VARIETY : Chardonnay

ALCOHOL : 13.5%

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches "l'Ouvrée des Dames” 2005 vinified by Laurence Jobard and Véronique Drouhin on a 16th century press. As a tribute to these exceptional women, this limited edition bears the name "Ouvrée des Dames” with labels exclusively designed by Barnaba Fornasetti.

Barnaba Fornasetti wanted to highlight the value of the rich Burgundy soil, to echo the structure of its "Climats” and the strength with which they imbue Burgundy's wines, as well as the elegance and femininity that are strong themes at Joseph Drouhin.

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

Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin

"An outstanding wine. Pale yellow colour. Complex floral nose of white lilac and white rose. Once open, fruity aromas come to the fore, evolving towards grilled hazelnut and almond. When the wine is more mature, the nose is surprisingly strong and fifteen minutes of aeration produce wonderful notes of white truffle, citron (cedrat), honey and nutmeg, elegantly meshed together. Very lively on the palate. Its rich texture is in evidence, but also its structure and minerality. It is round, but never heavy. Harmonious fullness in the aftertaste. This wine allies remarkably the complexity and elegance of a Bâtard-Montrachet with the power of a Corton-Charlemagne".

Vintage

Pretty, bright golden yellow colour. This is a consistent and attractive vintage: the aromas are ripe, more like mature fruit than flowers, with notes of honey and roasted hazelnut. Very attractive as a whole.

The acidity level is lower than 2004. The natural alcoholic degree is slightly higher than usual but does not give any heaviness to the wines. The aromas are quite long on the palate and well defined, with some complexity.

Ready to drink. 2005 is less exotic than 2003 and as true to type as 2004 was. In fact, there is more resemblance with 2002, or even 1989.

Serving Temperature: 14°C (57°C).

Cellaring: 5 to 30 years.

Vineyard

Site: at the southern end of the Beaune appellation, next to Pommard. The Drouhin vineyard is at mid-slope, on a mild incline with an east/south east exposure. It is the largest parcel of the Clos des Mouches (14 hectares - 35 acres), one half planted with chardonnay, the other with pinot noir.

History & tradition: the name "mouches" means flies. There were once bee-hives in this sun-drenched "clos" (vineyard enclosure); the bees in the local dialect were called "mouches à miel" (honey flies), hence the name Clos des Mouches. It is one of the first vineyards acquired by Maurice Drouhin (the founder's son) in the 1920's. With great determination, he bought 41 different parcels from 8 proprietors. It is planted out in equal quantities of red and white grapes and both wines have achieved mythical status for the House of Joseph Drouhin.

Soil: clay and limestone. Rocky soil in the upper part of the vineyard. At the center, the soil is limestone and marl. This light composition favours the great finesse of the wine.

Domaine area: 6.82 ha. (17.05 acres).

Average age of the vines: 45 years.

Viticulture

Biological cultivation since 1990; biodynamic cultivation a few years later.

Vine stocks: "sélection massale" (propagation of new vine stocks from a number of selected vines) done at the Drouhin nursery; also clones of recognized quality.

Soil maintenance: compost of manure and white wood, sometimes guano (seabird manure used as fertilizer). Soil is ploughed either by tractor or by horse to manage spreading of weeds.

Treatment: only authorized products for biological cultivation are used: infusions and macerations of plant materials, sulfur and copper, powdered rock. Natural predators are not eliminated.

Plantation density: from 10,000 to 12,500 stocks/ha in order to extract all possible nuances from the terroir and limit the production of each vine stock.

Pruning: Guyot.

Yield: we aim to keep our yields low, more in line with the previous regulation: around 20% less than allowed by the current law.

Vinification

Harvesting: by hand, in small open crates in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.

Sorting: if necessary, the grapes are sorted twice : once when being picked, the second time on the sorting table at the winery.

Pressing: very slow so as to respect fruit. Juices from the very last pressings are not retained.

The wine goes directly into barrels after débourbage (decanting of white wine to reduce sediment).

Ageing

Type: in barrels (25% in new oak).

Length: 12 to 15 months.

Origin of the wood: French oak forests.

Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.

LA MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN

In 1880, Joseph Drouhin, who was from the Chablis region originally, chose the city of Beaune to found the business that bears his name. Over the years and with each generation, the vineyard estate grew. At the same time, the founder's passionate search for excellence and knowledge was handed down like a family heirloom; Maison Joseph Drouhin continues to ensure this valuable family heritage.

Dedication to the diversity of Burgundy has always been the sole focus and vocation of Maison Joseph Drouhin, as vineyards - mostly premier and grand crus - were acquired in all major areas.

Out of firm conviction, Drouhin has adopted a biological and biodynamic approach to viticulture. Listening to nature: from vine to glass, at every step in the elaboration of the wine, a profound respect and deference to nature prevails. From its very beginning, Maison Joseph Drouhin has aimed for an ideal of perfection and elegance. The style of Joseph Drouhin combines balance, harmony and character, providing infinite pleasure.

Thanks to its open-minded world view, Joseph Drouhin introduces the best of Burgundy to all continents. Its active presence in many countries is the surest proof of its desire to get acquainted and understand other cultures and styles of living.