2009 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Latricières-Chambertin

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."

Latricieres-Chambertin is an 18.2 acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin. The vineyard is just south of Chambertin, and it is essentially flat. There are 12 property owners within Latricieres-Chambertin, which has been farmed as a vineyard since the 16th century. By acreage, the largest landowners are Camus, 3.75 acres; Joseph Faiveley, 3 acres; and Rossignol-Trapet, 1.9 acres.

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.