Drank the 2005 Henri Jouan Clos St. Denis last night together with 2005 Drouhin Clos St. Denis, which is reputedly bought from Jouan in the barrel. I don’t think anyone would have guessed they were drinking the same wine, though.
Jouan was very nice, gently red-fruited with a gravelly layer and whispery tannins, a good case study why CSD is the Morey grand cru for Chambolle lovers. Not mature yet in any sense, but not closed or awkward either, in fact very easy-drinking.
Drouhin was darker, black-fruited, even felt riper. But not as pure, in the sense that it didn’t even feel entirely clean. There was a distracting briny scent. It was hard to imagine the differences between these coming from anything in the elevage as opposed to differences in what went in the respective barrels in the first place. But I don’t know what happens in either cellar.
Jouan bottle finished, Drouhin bottle left 1/3 full.
Thanks for the note, love the Jouan wines and I love the comparison you did, I would like to do the same comparison in the future to see if the results are similar.
Not the same wine- someone gave you inaccurate information. I am not sure where Drouhin sources the wine, but they only source raw materials, not wine in barrel.
Appreciate the TNs. Do you think the Drouhin might have been a flawed bottle? I only ask since I am a longtime fan of that wine (one of Drouhin’s two best kept secrets) and have never encountered that before. It is a good time to check in on the 2005, so I will have a go later this year and see how it is faring.
Have you had other Jouan wines? If so, what do you make of them in a general stylistic sense? A trusted friend is a huge fan, and I have been tempted.
It’s been reported in multiple sources. Here’s TWA: “Part of the production is sold under Jouan’s label, but the Maison Joseph Drouhin is also a long-time client, and visitors will find Drouhin’s barrels in the cellar along with Jouan’s own—both, alike, from François Frères”
Thank you- I will look into this out of personal curiosity as much as anything else. It would not be the first time a major wine critical publication was inaccurate- or at least incomplete- in such commentary, so I cannot take that at face value- but still clearly worth investigating.
It’s the same grapes, this is relatively well known. My understanding is that the barrels are not the same, however, though I’m much less certain of this.
If you would- please read and quote my full post. I said that Drouhin buys raw materials and not finished barrels of this wine. I am not disputing that Drouhin may get grapes or must from Jouan, but that they are buying finished barrels of wine.
Not first hand but several friends who have visited report that the source for the information that Drouhin buy the finished wine in barrel(this and the MSD Clos Sorbé) is Jouan himself. On the other hand I have tasted both together on more than one occasion and found almost nothing in common. The Drouhin is usually backwardly grand(though I had an oxidised 99 quite recently), the Jouan simple and charming. I like Jouan’s rustic burgundies but feel that they should have remained very inexpensive, they do not stand up as trophies.
Thank you. Interesting. This points to two possibilities to me,
Drouhin gets Clos St. Denis from more than one source and blends them.
Drouhin takes an active role in harvesting and winemaking decisions- or in the contract makes provisions for such (which is not uncommon.) And that could make both what I have been told and what is reported by you and others “true” at the same time.
