Véronique Drouhin-Boss’s wines unfold on the palate with a lithesome charm, offering attractive pairing options. These tasting notes are a follow up to the earlier article on The French woman of Oregon, Véronique Drouhin Boss of Roserock Drouhin Oregon.
Amazingly, these wines run between $35-$45, tremendous finds for any Grand Cru or premier Willamette Valley Pinot Noir lover. Moreover, they age beautifully, a bonus for collectors.
The tasting notes today reflect the wines I sampled from Domaine Drouhin Oregon, the family’s Oregon estate established in 1987 by father Robert Drouhin, where Veronique has spearheaded wine making since 1988. She also oversees the winemaking at her family’s Burgundy domaine Maison Joseph Drouhin, in addition to the Roserock Drouhin Oregon project. Her brother, viticulturist Phillipe Drouhin, oversees all wine growing operations on their LIVE-certified estates in Oregon, and in Burgundy.
Drouhin-Boss describes the wines of Domaine Drouhin Oregon as “flirting with Chambolle-Musigny” one of only two Burgundian Grand Cru AOCs allowed to produce both red and white wines (the other is Corton), wines of perfumed finesse.
Indeed, the wines of Domaine Drouhin Oregon very much live up to their estate’s adage: “French Soul, Oregon Soil.”
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Arthur Chardonnay 2014
Dundee Hills, OR.
Alcohol: 14.1%
Suggested Retail: $35
Robe: Luminous straw robe.
Nose: Aromas of white flowers, stone fruit, citrus.
Palate: Subtle white florals and lemon curd on the mouth. Balanced, ample bouche, with an elegance and refinement that calls to mind Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque № 3 in a glass. Supple finish. Age-worthy 4-5 yrs.
Suggested Pairings: A versatile wine suitable for creamier dishes and traditional cuisine, as well as lighter, seasonal fare.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2014
Dundee Hills, OR.
Alcohol: 14.1 %
Suggested Retail: $45
Robe: Deep garnet robe.
Nose: An intoxicating mélange of red raspberry and cassis, dark cherry and plum, baking spice, and roses.
Palate: An intricate, silky millefeuille of savory spices, black fruits, smokey cherry, and hint of evergreen that unfurl on the palate with light-bodied elegance, transforming into a seductive, velvet finish. Age-worthy 10-12 years.
Suggested Pairings: A go-to for any holiday table serving game, fowl, roast beef, or pork loin. For the non-traditionalist, bœuf bourguignon.
Read also: The French woman of Oregon, Véronique Drouhin Boss of Roserock Drouhin Oregon.
LM Archer is a freelance writer based in Seattle and California. She is Francophile who considers wine an art and Burgundy the centre of the universe. She is the founder and editor of binNotes | redThread.
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