Michael Fridjhon WINE Experience

This year’s Michael Fridjhon WINE Experience celebrates great families in the world of wine, one of these being the Drouhins of Burgundy. By Michael Fridjhon.

In 1880, when Joseph Drouhin decided to set up as a wine merchant in Beaune at the heart of the Cote d’Or region of Burgundy, his success was anything but a foregone conclusion. The ill-fated war against Bismarck’s Germany in 1870 – followed by the Commune of 1871 – had left France impoverished and the national psyche scarred.

 

Drouhin recognised that the world of wine was changing thanks to the industrial revolution. Wine could get to market sooner – and could therefore arrive in better condition. The establishment of a train line from Burgundy to Paris also meant that he could perform the dual function of sourcing the best wines and still calling on his key customers in Paris.

By the time his son, Maurice, took over the running of the business in 1918, it was sufficiently robust to take advantage of the boom in luxury goods which followed the lean years of the First World War. In addition, Maurice began the acquisition of family-owned vineyards which today is what distinguishes the Drouhin business from many of its competitors. He understood that land ownership meant controlling quality from place of origin all the way to bottle – a concept we take for granted today but which was largely disregarded in an era when almost all red Burgundy had Rhône wine liberally blended in for colour and flavour. The same passion for the integrity of what was produced led him to play a seminal role in establishing the region’s appellation of origin system.

Maurice passed on his passion for the land to his son and heir, Robert, and also his faith in good viticultural practice ahead of the wholesale use of chemicals. Long before terms like “biodynamic” and “organic” became the buzz-words of 21st century grape growing, Robert had instituted a vineyard management regime that retained the intrinsics of the site ahead of the convenience of industrial agriculture.

Robert took over fulltime management of the business in 1957, building up the portfolio of properties that Maurice had begun. He added several prestigious appellations like Grands Echézeaux, Musigny, Griotte-Chambertin, Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze – to holdings such as the Beaune Clos des Mouches Premier Cru site which had been Maurice’s original purchase.

Robert’s four children now manage the day-to-day activities of Joseph Drouhin, though he remains the eminence grise of the family firm. Youngest son Frédéric, who completed his post-graduate studies in the United States, now runs the business.
Veronique, a trained oenologist, is responsible for much of the technical management as well as the winemaking at the Oregon vineyards of Domaine Drouhin. Philippe studied business science before training as a viticulturist and now manages the Domaine’s vineyards. And Laurent, after working as a business director for the family in Paris, now lives in the United States and has assumed responsibility for the brand in this market.

Since 2003, Robert’s formal link has been as chairman of the board. In reality, however, he is the “sensory memory” of the house, bringing the experience of over 50 vintages to the decisions taken both in the vineyards and in the cellar. Inspired by the quotation that appeared in the novel The Leopard by Lampedusa, published just as he took over the running of Joseph Drouhin, Robert has made “Things must change if they are to remain the same” a way of life.