Do those in the know have any specific information on Drouhin’s sources for this wine? The Maison’s website says “grapes and wines provided by regular supply partners (long term contracts)”. It’s the “wines” part that makes me hesitate a bit. Does Drouhin buy finished barrels and blend them with wines made by them from contracted grapes? If so, who makes the wines they purchase? Is this bottling ever worthwhile, particularly in '05? I haven’t been able to find notes on it anywhere.
Jamie, don’t worry about it. I don’t know much about this wine but I would buy it if I saw it at the right price. Drouhin make increasingly splendid wines and in the long run it seems to me that all you have to do is trust the source rather than get bogged down in the detail. Don’t forget that a lot of their negoce contracts go back fifty or a hundred years, and that rather than trying to rip you off they want to please!
Tom,
I wouldn’t say I’m exactly worrying about it. And I too would buy a bottle without a second thought if I saw it at a good price. But I’m thinking about putting in a bid on a case of it at auction, and with that many bottles I’d like to have some idea that it conforms to the Drouhin style, which I know I like, and quality. I will also admit to having a tendency to get bogged down in details though
I don’t know where Drouhin gets the grapes and/or wine for this cuvee and those sources are often very difficult to ferret out.
I generally agree with Tom on the 05 version because it sounds interesting. However, this is not an appellation from which I normally buy Drouhin wines.
Yeah, I know these sources are often very secretive. But we are, after all, talking about Savigny. It’s not exactly like DRC providing someone with La Tache grapes. I thought maybe someone who tastes at the Domain, Claude or John, for example, might have some insight into this bottling.
