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Pierre Jacques Druet Update, February 2010

I continue my thankfully short programme of rescuing notes from the brink of irrelevance with this review of wines made by leading Bourgueil vigneron Pierre Jacques Druet. All the wines cited here were tasted on my visit to the Salon des Vins de Loire in February 2010.

Druet is one of Bourgueil's leading winemakers, who I last visited in 2008. With my children in tow it turned out to be an eventful day. I have already given some account of my care in not driving over the top of his perhaps rather arthritic dog (since deceased, I am told, after it fell down the stairs). Druet was the epitome of tolerance with my children, setting out sheets of cardboard and chalks for them to entertain themselves, while we tasted to the tune of a discourse on guillage, noble tannins and salt (see my Druet profile for more on this). My daughter decided to repay his kindness with a bout of explosive vomiting midway through our visit. We beat a hasty retreat, having tasted many of the wines, but without having seen his more atmospheric caves.

Happily this tasting was not so eventful. I worked my way through the wines with Pierre's son (pictured right), starting with two brut de cuve samples of Les Cent Boisselées from the 2009 and 2008 vintages and the 2008 rosé, before then moving onto the more mature wines, cuvée by cuvée. Further vintages of Les Cent Boisselées came first, starting with a 2007 which was a decent (but intrinsically still rather lacklustre) effort for the vintage; comparing with my notes from my aforementioned visit to the domaine, when this wine seemed to show more fruit and substance, it now appears to display the weakness of the vintage more plainly. There followed a 2005 which was really quite admirable, showing the strength of this particular year, strength also seen in Druet's Grand Mont and Vaumoreau cuvées. These were also shown in the 2005 vintage, and both were very attractive, especially the dark, brooding and yet floral Vaumoreau. The corresponding 2000 was punching above its weight, this vintage not being as successful for the red wines of the Loire as you might think, but the 1989 was really on form. And yet, as evolved and secondary as it was, this was still dominated by a mass of embryonic tannin just crying out for more time in the cellar.

Finally, there came two vintages of the Clos de Danzay, Druet's only foothold in the Chinon appellation. These were pretty, but nothing more than that. Bourgueil is undoubtedly where Druet's real successes are to be found. Although once happily ranked as top tier within the appellation, I am not sure I would persist with that thought today, as I think there is greater elegance to be found elsewhere. Nevertheless, when the wines are on form, they can be truly remarkable, and they are certainly wines that should be represented at least once in your drinking history. (17/6/11)

Pierre Jacques Druet, February 2010 - Tasting Notes

The wines below were tasted in Angers at the Salon des Vins de Loire in February 2010. All my notes on the wines of Pierre Jacques Druet, including those below, are collated under my Pierre Jacques Druet profile. I have ordered my notes here according to appellation and cuvée. Click to locate stockists.

Rosé

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Rosé 2008: A delicate pink hue, with a creamy red fruit aroma on the nose. Very fresh, a fine and rather diaphanous style, with a stony freshness. Admirable, gently textured, yet well defined. I enjoyed drinking my way through the 2006 recently; this is of a similar quality. 16/20

Les Cent Boisselées

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Les Cent Boisselées 2009: A brut de cuve sample. A fairly light hue here, bright and fresh on the nose, with a nose predominantly of red fruits. Sweet and plump on the palate despite that rather lifted aromatic profile, soft and quite gentle from the outset, with plenty of good acidity. A strong character here, and clearly a good vintage. 14.5-15.5/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Les Cent Boisselées 2008: Another brut de cuve sample, due for bottling in late spring, perhaps June 2010. It has a surprisingly mature appearance in the glass, a deepening and matt hue. It has a rather mature set of aromas too, a floral perfume and the suggestion of a slightly meaty evolution. A lovely supple style on the palate, red fruits and chalk, and a nice substance too. It seems composed and fresh, despite those suggestions of maturity perceived on inspection. A pretty wine. 15.5/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Les Cent Boisselées 2007: This vintage is already in bottle. A fresh fruit and pretty perfumed character here, all suggestive of a deeper substance than expected. I find it quite impressive for a 2007. It has an appealing tobacco-gravel scent. On the palate there is supple fruit although a leaner midpalate, over a gentle tannic structure. This is nice although there is a little hollow character to it. But for a 2007, good. 14/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Les Cent Boisselées 2005: This has a darkening hue, showing some early maturity, although this is entirely in keeping with the age of this wine. A simply charming, perfumed nose, very typical of Cabernet Franc, all fresh fruit and flowers moving into a layer of fine tobacco and game. Fresh and supple on the palate, textured too, a lovely style. Still quite youthful in terms of structure; although the aromas suggest this is drinking now, the tannic backbone and acidity suggest more time in the cellar would be wise. 16.5/20

Grand Mont

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Grand Mont 2005: This is an old vines (50-55 years old) cuvée, fermented in barrel usually followed by 2-3 years there before bottling. A deep and mature colour here, and an intense and very linear perfume. A wonderful style, with evocative dark fruits on the palate, a touch of cream to the texture but otherwise a very firm and strongly composed wine. There is in fact a massive structure hiding beneath it all. A great effort that needs another ten to fifteen years at least. 17.5/20

Vaumoreau

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Vaumoreau 2005: From 99-year old vines, harvested at 20 hl/ha. An enticing nose of dark fruits and liquorice, concentrated and sweet Cabernet Franc character. Intense, with that all important floral Cabernet Franc edge. Very fine on the palate, softly textured, a firm structure with bright acidity. In truth it has a rather loose-knit feel to it at present, showing a somewhat unfocused character, but this simply reflects the wine's youth. It has brilliant potential for the cellar, but it needs another 10-20 years. 18/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Vaumoreau 2000: Travelling back through the vintages we have now reached a very dark wine with certainly maturity in terms of appearance. It has a heady perfume, not overly effusive but certainly evocative and very linear in terms of expression. Elegant, composed, with lots of supple and harmonious flesh. This is quite fine, although there is still a tower of structure at this wine's heart. This wine still has more to give, but it is certainly approachable now, should this de desired! 16.5/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Bourgueil Vaumoreau 1989: Amazingly, this wine, from one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century for the Loire Valley, does not look a day older than the 2000 vintage on comparison. It still has a very dense appearance, and now on the nose we have liquorice, hung game, tobacco and yet it still has that perfumed, floral edge and remarkably a blast of pure blackberry fruit still. A supple start on the palate, very finely composed, still notably firm and tannic though, although these tannins have a ripe and meaty style. Good acidity too though. Overall, this is very good indeed, and still going strong. 18/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Chinon Clos de Danzay 2001: This wine is somewhat deeper in colour than the 2000, and it seems more youthful on the nose as well. The fruit profile is sweet and slightly hot, and on the palate it has a rather soft and rounded style, although there is a solid substance at its core. Lots of pretty chalky fruit. Drink now or keep short-term I think. 16/20

Pierre Jacques Druet Chinon Clos de Danzay 2000: A moderate depth of colour here, paling somewhat. A pretty nose, attractively perfumed, with red fruits and flowers. This is appealing, soft and harmonious, with just a little midpalate tannin. A midweight style, this wine has many good points but it does not have the direction or gravitas of Druet's Bourgueil cuvées. 15.5/20