Domaine Duroché

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Pierre Duroché needs little introduction these days, having firmly established himself among the very front ranks of Burgundy's most sought-after growers. A fifth-generation winemaker, Pierre took over from his father Gilles in 2005 and has since built a formidable reputation for Pinot Noir of remarkable purity, racy minerality and energy.

His wines are often compared to those of Domaine Armand Rousseau, and his top bottlings have attracted more than a few perfect scores. Demand comfortably outstrips supply, and our only real complaint is that there is never quite enough wine to go around!

The family estate dates back to 1906 and covers around 8.5 hectares, almost entirely within Gevrey-Chambertin. Its holdings include village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards, with some exceptional parcels of Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Latricières-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. Among the Premier Crus are Lavaut Saint-Jacques, Estournelles Saint-Jacques and Champeaux. The domaine also has some particularly old vines, including its Vignes 23 cuvée from Lavaut Saint-Jacques, planted before 1923.

The Wine

Pierre believes that the quality of the old vines, combined with naturally low yields, is a key part of the domaine's consistency. Interestingly, this applies across the range, from Bourgogne Rouge right through to Latricières-Chambertin. There is a clear progression through the wines, with each bottling offering a different expression of its vineyard rather than simply a step up in concentration or extraction.

In the vineyard, Pierre follows organic principles, avoiding herbicides and insecticides and working the soils carefully. In the cellar, he favours gentle extraction, indigenous yeasts and restrained oak, allowing the character of each site to come through. The wines are generally neither fined nor filtered, with élevage designed to preserve their freshness and detail rather than impose a particular house style.

The result is a collection of beautifully transparent, finely structured Pinot Noirs, combining pure red and dark fruit with fine tannins, mineral tension and impressive vibrancy. These wines consistently rank among the highlights of their respective vintages, and it is a real pleasure to represent Duroché. They are very much wines worth seeking out.

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