RELATIONSHIPS
A single climat may include multiple plots and producers.
Conceptual diagram of ownership relationships. Area proportions and boundaries are not shown.
Joseph Drouhin
Fourteen hectares of estate vineyards. Red Pinot Noir and white Chardonnay.
Domaine Chanson
The documentation on the white wine introduces a 1.6 ha upper-slope Chardonnay parcel.
This is a summary of the relationships explained in the main text. For details on grape composition and production conditions, please refer to the main text and official sources. Sources and reference materials
FIELD NOTE 01
A climat at the southern end of Beaune, adjacent to Pommard.
Clos des Mouches is a Beaune Premier Cru climat, located at the southern edge of the Beaune appellation area, adjacent to Pommard. Drouhin explains that their vineyard, situated mid-slope facing east to southeast, is divided almost equally between red and white grape varieties across 14 hectares.
14ha is the area Drouhin claims as their own. Do not treat this as the area of the whole climat. The climat name, owned plots, and the varieties planted there are each separate pieces of information to verify.
Basis for this section:Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗ ／ BIVB | Beaune Appellations and Climats ↗
FIELD NOTE 02
Different producers with the same vineyard name
Domaine Chanson also makes a white from this climat. Official materials from 2024 introduce a 1.6 ha Chardonnay parcel located at the upper part of the slope. Even if the Drouhin name is well known, this does not mean Clos des Mouches is their monopole vineyard.
If you match two producers' white wines from the same vintage, you can align appellation, climat, grape variety, and year. However, this does not guarantee that the exact vineyard plots are the same. If you attribute all flavor differences solely to the winemaker's techniques, you may overlook differences in position within the slope, vine age, or viticultural practices.
Basis for this section:Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗ ／ Domaine Chanson | Clos des Mouches White 2024 ↗
FIELD NOTE 03
What changes in comparing red and white
Drouhin’s red uses Pinot Noir and their white uses Chardonnay. When comparing the producer’s red and white from the same climat, both variety and method of handling the skins are changed at the same time. The color and tannins of the red cannot be explained solely by “vineyard character”.
Producer comparisons between white wines, comparison of a producer's red and white, and the same wine from different years. By distinguishing these three, you can clarify which conditions are held in common.
Basis for this section:Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗ ／ Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches White 2017: Vineyard description ↗
FIELD NOTE 04
Reading the range of the technical sheet
The page for Drouhin’s red 2021 notes “25% new oak, aged 14–18 months.” The proportion of whole clusters is described as “20–50% depending on the year.” You cannot take the upper limit alone and assume the whole cluster portion was 50% in 2021.
The 2024 source for Chanson’s white gives the figures: 18 months ageing, 20% new barrels. However, when comparing to Drouhin’s 2021 red, not only the producer, but also the vintage and grape variety are different. Use this as an example of how to interpret data, and do not explain the difference in taste between the two bottles using only the new oak proportion.
Basis for this section:Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗ ／ Domaine Chanson | Clos des Mouches White 2024 ↗
CASE STUDY / Learning from real-world examples
What should be controlled and what should be varied for comparison?
Choose a comparative approach using Clos des Mouches as an example. This is a tasting proposal, not a record of actual tasting results here.
Change white wine producers.
Drouhin's White
- Conditions to standardize
- Beaune Premier Cru / Clos des Mouches / Chardonnay / Same vintage
- Description of the plot
- The estate's own vineyards are located mid-slope, facing east to southeast.
Chanson’s white
- Conditions to standardize
- Beaune Premier Cru / Clos des Mouches / Chardonnay / Same vintage
- Description of the plot
- White wine plots are located on upper slopes and face east.
If there are four common conditions, can the comparison focus solely on winemaking methods?
Check your way of thinking
The location of the plot and method of cultivation remain. Even if the names of climats are standardized, splitting the same grape among different vinification processes does not constitute an experiment. The reference year also differs between the two companies, so check the specification for the actual year you choose.
Comparing Drouhin’s red and white
Clos des Mouches Red
- Conditions to be standardized
- Producer • Climat • Vintage
- Grapes
- Pinot Noir
- Handling of skins
- Fermentation / Extracting pigments and tannins by maceration
Clos des Mouches White
- Conditions to be standardized
- Producer • Climat • Vintage
- Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Handling of skins
- Fermentation of pressed juice.
Is the difference between red and white only skin maceration?
Check your way of thinking
Grape varieties also change. It's necessary to check the parcel planted, harvest decisions, fermentation and maturation. Using the same vineyard name as a clue, this is a comparison of how the producer designs both red and white.
Change the vintage of the same red
Drouhin: Red, a Certain Vintage
- Conditions to be standardized
- Producer / Label / Grape Variety
- What to research
- Weather, harvest date, percentage of whole clusters, extraction, maturation
Drouhin: Red, Another Vintage
- Conditions to be standardized
- Producer / Label / Grape Variety
- What to research
- The same item, and the elapsed time and storage condition after bottling.
Based on the explanation of 20–50% whole clusters, can a single percentage be determined for 2021?
Check your way of thinking
Cannot be determined. The reference page allows for variation according to the year. If the value for the target year has not been published, record it as unconfirmed; do not treat the upper limit or average as the specification for that year.
Reference materials:Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗ ／ Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches White 2017: Vineyard description ↗ ／ Domaine Chanson | Clos des Mouches White 2024 ↗
You can match appellation, climate, grape variety, and vintage, but plot location and viticulture remain. Differences between producers are not just about winemaking. Read the actual plot and vintage documentation together.
PAUSE & REFLECT
Check your understanding.
If you compare white Clos des Mouches from the same year by two producers, can you determine differences caused solely by winemaking methods?
Read the explanation ＋
You can match appellation, climate, grape variety, and vintage, but plot location and viticulture remain. Differences between producers are not just about winemaking. Read the actual plot and vintage documentation together.
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Write what you have learned, your reasoning, and what you still need to confirm.
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Chardonnay: reasons different whites can be produced from the same variety →
Sources and reference materials
These are the reference materials for the main text. For details of production regulations, consult the current documents. For individual wine specifications, refer to materials for the relevant vintage.
- Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches Red 2021 ↗
- Joseph Drouhin | Clos des Mouches White 2017: Vineyard description ↗
- Domaine Chanson | Clos des Mouches White 2024 ↗
- BIVB | Beaune Appellations and Climats ↗