Vintage Character Domaine Drouhin 'Laurène' Pinot Noir 2022 is a Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills, Oregon. An April arctic air mass brought snow and the first frost to affect the family's Dundee Hills vineyards. Cool, damp conditions then delayed vine growth by two to four weeks into June. Sunshine and warmer weather near harvest allowed the remaining fruit to ripen, even though the estate reported lower Pinot Noir volume. The 2022 season moved from a damaged, slow spring to a benign autumn. Laurène is a post-fermentation barrel selection from estate Pinot Noir, so the season is read through a smaller, more selective group of lots. In 2022, the swing from frost to warmth shaped the starting point before the final barrel choice.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing The 2022 note moves from dried rose, tart cherry and elderberry toward dark cherry, orange peel, clove and discreet oak. The palate is dry and silkily structured. Roast duck, mushroom-and-herb pasta and grilled quail suit Laurène's savoury layers while leaving space for its red-fruit energy.
Winery Background Laurène is named after Véronique Boss-Drouhin's elder daughter and is the family's flagship Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. Estate fruit is picked by hand, destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts before entering French oak. Véronique then chooses barrels with the depth, length and harmony she wants in the final blend. That later selection differentiates Laurène from the core estate bottling, even though both share Pinot Noir and origin.