Maison Joseph Drouhin has purchased two estates in Burgundy, totaling nearly 50 acres of vineyards: Château de Chasselas in the St.-Véran appellation and the Rapet estate in St.-Romain. The company did not disclose the price.
Château de Chasselas includes 17.3 acres in the St.-Véran appellation, plus small parcels of Chasselas and Beaujolais. It’s already the main supplier of Drouhin’s St.-Véran wine. The property has a historic château that was purchased by Millesime, a hotel and restaurant group, which plans to convert it into a boutique hotel.
The Rapet estate in St.-Romain includes 19.8 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in St.-Romain, as well as small parcels of Auxey-Duresses red and white, Pommard and Meursault.
“We are deeply rooted in Burgundy, it remains small and we see more competition and difficulty in acquiring vineyards and buying grapes,” Frédéric Drouhin, president of Maison Joseph Drouhin, told Wine Spectator. “This allows us to secure our supply. Great vineyards from famous appellations are way too expensive. It didn’t make sense for us to look for a property in Puligny or Chambolle.”
The deal to buy the Rapet parcels in St.-Romain was completed last fall. “We were already buying grapes from that estate,” said Drouhin. “We studied all the parcels and decided to buy. It’s a great area and cooler than Meursault or Beaune. It doesn’t have the fame, but is less expensive. We feel it’s a good price point, good style of wine and a good story.”
The debut vintage of Drouhin’s St.-Romain is the 2022; the inaugural bottling of St.-Véran Château de Chasselas will be the 2023, released in 2024. All the parcels are being converted to organic farming.
The acquisitions bring the total holdings of Maison Joseph Drouhin to nearly 250 acres of vines stretching from Chablis to Mâcon, covering 60 appellations and including 14 grands crus and 20 premier crus. Drouhin’s first vineyards were parcels in Beaune Clos des Mouches bought by Maurice Drouhin in 1921. Drouhin also farms 130 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Oregon’s Dundee Hills.
The company is run today by four siblings: Frédéric, its president; Véronique, in charge of winemaking; vineyard manager Philippe; and Laurent, who oversees sales and marketing in North America and the Caribbean.
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