2016 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Musigny

Domaine Drouhin-Laroze is a 31-acre estate in Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy. It was founded in the mid-19th century by Jean-Baptiste Laroze and is today run by Philippe Drouhin, who is a descendant. (There is only a very distant family tie with the famous Drouhin negociant family.) The domaine owns Grand Cru parcels in Bonnes-Mares, Chambertin, Clos de Beze, Clos de Vougeot, Latricieres-Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin, Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin. There are also Premier Cru parcels. Robert M. Parker Jr. has noted that the estate’s 3 acres in Clos Vougeot "are extraordinary."

Musigny is considered one of the greatest vineyards in the Cote d’Or, in Burgundy. At 26.5 acres it includes two sections, Grand Musigny and Les Petits Musigny. The vineyard is 260 to 300 meters in elevation and the soil is unusual for the region, a mix of limestone and red clay. Comte de Vogue owns about three-quarters of the vineyard, with a holding of 17 acres. The next largest landowners are Jacques-Frederic Mugnier, with 3.2 acres; and Jacques Prieur with 1.7 acres. Also noteworthy is Leroy’s tiny .7 acre holding. Though most of the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, Comte de Vogue plants a small parcel of Chardonnay, which is sold as Bourgogne blanc due to the relatively youth of the Chardonnay vines. Wine writer Clive Coates has written that “at its best the red wine (of Musigny) can be quite simply the most delicious wine to be found in Burgundy.”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.