The 2016 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau was completely destemmed. It has a very refined bouquet, pure and quite floral with dark cherries, blueberry and minerals, quite detailed and gaining intensity with time. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy tannin, not as complex as the Crepiots, quite succulent and fleshy toward the finish with a hint of hoisin on the aftertaste. Perhaps one of the earlier drinking 2016s from Drouhin-Laroze this year.

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau, which lies in front of Les Corbeaux, is only bottled separately by one or two growers, others' holdings too small and usually blended into other vineyards. It has a sultry bouquet with subtle earthy scents infusing the brambly red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It feels linear and maybe conservative, but there is plenty of freshness and there are attractive bright red cherries and crushed strawberry on the finish. Enjoy this over 5-7 years.

The 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau comes from 30- to 40-year-old vines. It has a simple red cherry and crushed strawberry-scented nose that is nicely composed and understated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a keen line of acidity, but it needs a little more substance on the finish that feels just a little "lightweight" compared to the superior Crepiots. Hopefully it will fill out by the time of bottling.

The 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau, which was taken from a one-year-old barrel, has a fine, mineral-led bouquet with fine definition. The palate is crisp and delineated with fine tannins and a sense of energy toward the finish. This is one of the better wines from Drouhin-Laroze this year.

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Au Closeau has a very attractive ‘bonbons’ bouquet – like walking into a sweet shop – very pure and fragrant. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannins. There is plenty of redcurrant and Morello fruit, a nice build into the mouth towards a harmonious, slightly chewy finish. This is a little showy, but enjoyable. This domaine must possess one of the most enviable portfolios in the Cote de Nuits, with several grand crus to their name scattered across 11.5-hectares of prime vineyard. So I guess one must ask the question why Drouhin-Laroze is not better known? I suppose you could argue that in the past, the wines had an air of commerciality about them, wines that were commendable and enjoyable, yet rarely approached the profundity of say Rousseau or Bachelet. Their intrinsic quality was not in doubt. The trouble is that when you have such a roll call of iconic grand crus to your name, the bar is simply raised. Personally, I have found much pleasure in previous vintages that always seem to show well in barrel. I have always found winemaker Philippe Drouhin to be a conscientious vigneron, usually with his wife Christine by his side, either in the office or pouring wines at tastings. And there is now a gradual changing over to the sixth generation as their son Nicolas and daughter Caroline, gain more involvement in the running of the estate that now includes a negociant arm overseen by Caroline. Tasting through their 2012s, there does remain a slight “heaviness” to the wines that you could align with say, Bernard Dugat, and that does not mean they are inherently inferior – just that it is a perceptible leitmotif that means they rarely contain the finesse or effortlessness of those aforementioned growers. I always come away thinking if that if they just tweaked their practices a little, they could suddenly see their wines capture that sense of magic – perhaps pick a little earlier, extract less and moderate the level of new wood that has always made an impression e.g. reconsider using 100% new oak for all the grand crus. This is an estate to watch. They have always quietly gone about creating very good wines, but it would not take much with those grand crus to see them suddenly elevated to the top league. Importer: available through Diva Beaune in the United States, also Atherton Wine Imports (www.awiwine.com) in California and through Fields, Morris & Verdin in the UK.