At Domaine Drouhin Oregon, we believe in the family approach to wine, in both Burgundy and Oregon. It informs how we live, the wines we make and the respect we have for our land
Wine presses at Maison Joseph Drouhin, 1954
Construction of Domaine Drouhin Oregon, 1989
From the caves of Burgundy to the Dundee Hills of Oregon
The Drouhin Family’s winemaking roots run deep, having taken hold in Burgundy’s best vineyards more than a century ago. Through the years, there has been a very clear link, a continuum, that inhabits Maison Joseph Drouhin, and now Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
Our estate winery in the Dundee Hills creates elegant, fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines forged from our family’s tradition of fine winemaking in France. For more than 30 years, the Drouhin Family has brought a wealth of hard-earned experience to their vineyards in the Willamette Valley, just southwest of Portland, Oregon.
“Skills get more refined, methods evolve, but what’s important is what is transmitted from generation to generation: The search for excellence, the intellectual curiosity, the sense of values, passion, the respect for terroir.”
— Robert J. Drouhin
Véronique Drouhin
Head Winemaker
Véronique Drouhin grew up in Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy. She decided on a winemaking career at an early age, inspired by her family and also the small circle of women working in wine at the time. In the years since, Véronique has become globally-recognized for her work in Burgundy and Oregon. She has made more than 30 vintages in each growing region, and is considered an icon in both. In 2019, she was awarded the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest award of merit.
Today, Véronique continues to make every wine for Domaine Drouhin Oregon, the winery that the Drouhins established in the Willamette Valley in 1987. In Burgundy, her title is “Guardian of the Drouhin Palate,” which makes her responsible for maintaining the Drouhin style and sensibility in every wine the family produces. As Véronique says: “each vintage is different, challenging, and interesting in its own way. I couldn’t imagine anything better!”
Philippe Drouhin
Estates Manager
Véronique’s brother Philippe Drouhin is our man of the vine, responsible for the management and care of the Drouhin vineyards in Burgundy, Chablis and Oregon. From an early age, Philippe observed the viticultural methods and practices that produced some of the world’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, and he assisted his father Robert in conducting research on soils and vines. After graduating from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Tours, he went to the Lycée Viticole in Beaune and attended enology courses at the University of Dijon.
He officially entered the family business in 1988, and was charged with managing the vineyards, where he selects the grape stocks and clones, chooses the care to be given to the soils and oversees the pruning schedules. He is an avid student and practitioner of sustainable, biodynamic and organic farming techniques. When harvest season arrives, he is expert at helping decide the perfect time to gather the fruit in order to achieve the highest expressions of quality and each vineyard’s terroir.