Undeniable Bèze
2009 Drouhin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Gevrey-Chambetin Soars in 2009
One of the best bottles of Burgundy I've ever had was a '71 Drouhin Clos de Bèze.
The 2009 Drouhin Bèze, even at this young age, already flaunts an awesome potential.
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Today, we offer what has to be one of the wines of the 2009 vintage: Drouhin's Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. After tasting it, we left the estate shaking our heads. This wine is on the same level as Gevrey's best - think Dujac's rare Chambertin or Rousseau's Chambertin and Bèze.
It is flat-out spectacular - this is everything Bèze should be: muscular, rock-solid, forceful, unswerving, uncompromising... yet ultra-fine. Sophisticated. Finessed.
In fact, this wine is all muscle in 2009. There is no discernible “fat” or indication of over-ripeness in its richly scented, richly textured red and black berry fruit heaped over a deep, rocky base of minerals. It has outrageous length and grip.
To contain the vintage, the plush, velvety fruit, the house used a large proportion of stems in the vinification, resulting in an especially well-structured lineup of wines. This Clos de Bèze is broad-shouldered, to be sure, but it’s also somehow fine, an exemplar of Drouhin’s signature detail and purity.
There is something very, very special about 2009 at Drouhin - the jewel-box fruit, the finesse and clarity of the house's style matched to the mammoth fruit and depth of the vintage.
2009 represents a superb collection for the estate. In this much anticipated vintage, I'm not sure there are any greater values to be had.
And while people will speak about the huge drinking window of the 2009 Burgundies (and they are largely right), for the real show, for fireworks on par with the 71, give this wine some time. (Or buy enough so you can crack some open earlier.)
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For those of you beginning to assemble your collection of 09s, this should be considered a do-not-miss, core wine. For those of you looking to simply invest in just a couple of choice bottles from the grand 2009 vintage, you are not going to find many of the vintage's top bottlings this side of $500. (Rousseau's 2009 Bèze has for all intents and purposes already disappeared but was last seen well over $1,000 a bottle.)
This is the context in which today's bottle should be put. Yet the pricing, which is as sharp as it will ever get, makes the bottle considerably more obtainable. It is worth it.
To place your order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463. Quantities are limited so all orders subject to confirmation.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
