Domaine Drouhin announces the 2004 Louise release!
I received word on Wednesday (3/14) that Domaine Drouhin was about to make the 2004 Louise release available. I think I made an audible yelping sound when I saw the announcement in my inbox: The week of April 9th marks the release of the 2004 Louise!
Domaine Drouhin, or DDO (that’s Domaine Drouhin Oregon), releases 3 different Pinot Noirs each year:
- The “Willamette Valley,” or “Classique” release is the “basic” release and constitutes about 75-80% of the total Pinot Noir production each year.
- The “Laurène” release is a step up in taste and flavor, in my opinion, and constitutes almost 20% of the total Pinot Noir production each year.
- The “Louise” release is for DDO Direct club members only and is typically unavailable even on the aftermarket; Louise constitutes about 1-2% of the total Pinot Noir production each year.
If you read my blog at all, you know that I love the wines of Domaine Drouhin. I was ecstatic when I was invited to join their DDO Direct club a while back, in part because I really wanted to purchase some Louise Pinot Noir but I was never able to do so in the past. The last time you could purchase any Louise on the aftermarket was at least 2 years ago, and even then it was $95+/bottle. Before DDO really began to take off and find significant success as a winery, they sold Louise direct to the public. That was then, this is now, and in the here and now you need to be in the club.
Think about that for a minute: Anyone can buy a bottle of the DDO Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for about $40-$45. It tastes great for sure and I drink it whenever I can. If you want to spend a bit more, you can get the Laurène. This particular wine remains my wife’s all-time favorite wine, and she has tried some $100-$200 wines before. Impressive. But that Louise remains elusive; it would be easier (though more costly) to buy a bottle of 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc on the aftermarket than to find a bottle of 2003 DDO Louise for sale. Now that’s amazing to me.
Anyway, there was some concern that DDO Direct club members might not all receive an allotment of the 2004 Louise due to a decline in the harvest numbers. Well, I am happy to report that I will indeed receive my 3 bottles of 2004 Louise, and I think all of the other DDO Direct club members will get their Louise as well. That’s great news as I think this wine is the reason why so many people belong to the DDO Direct club.
There is also a special party to celebrate the release of Louise. On May 19th, DDO Direct club members will have the chance to taste the 2004 Louise, which is pretty much the only time you can do something like that. There are “other special treats” promised in the e-mail I received from DDO, so I’m going to try and attend this year. I really want to see what other wines they pull from their incredible cellar; DDO keeps bottles of all their releases in storage. I would love to see that storage room.