Joseph Drouhin Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru 2014

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

This Grand Cru Côte de Nuits red wine from Burgundy is dedicatedly monitored throughout the winemaking process to ensure its premium quality. The flavor of this wine is much affected by the precociousness of the 2014 harvest, with grapes ripening faster than normal, leading to a harvest two weeks ahead of schedule. The early aromatic notes of cherries and dark chocolate in this wine give way to nuances of undergrowth, truffles, and fine leather with a hint of cedarwood. The wine is deep red in color, almost purple, and its tannins are refined and velvety, with a long-lingering mouthfeel.

PAIRINGS

This Grand Cru Burgundy pairs well with aged cheeses, but we like to bring particular attention to soft, fruity, cow’s milk ones like the Cîteaux cheese, made in the same abbey that once owned and operated the Grands-Échezeaux vineyard. For the rest of your meal, this wine will carry you through either prime cuts of filet mignon or game birds and venison.

A LITTLE COMPETITION

The Côte de Nuits is the exclusive domain of the Pinot Noir, where the purity of the grape is legendary. Here, the competition between vineyards has always been fierce—especially, once upon a time, among members of the nobility and papacy. Grands-Échezeaux is not exempt from this history of one-upmanship. The monks of Cîteaux, who already owned the vineyard of Clos Vougeot, made several attempts to acquire the famed Musigny vineyards right across the wall. Thwarted, they turned their attentions to the Grands-Échezeaux and cultivated it as a rival to the Musigny vineyard. One can be certain that each and every wine from the Côte de Nuits is triply excellent because of the region’s storied reputation.

It’s best to store unopened red wines in a cool, dry, and dark place safe from constant vibration. Keep your bottle horizontal in a wine rack or cellar to retain the moistness of the cork. The ideal temperature for storage is between 16 to 18°C.