Domaine Dujac 2024: Pinot Noir in a tricky Burgundy vintage

Domaine Dujac has shifted its tasting routine, moving to intimate, 10-person sessions in a new cellar-side room—less misty-eyed romance, more clarity. As original author Steen Öhman notes, it suits the journalistic lens, even if it trims the poetry. And the vintage itself? 2024 asked serious questions of Burgundy. The answer at Dujac, per Öhman, leaned into whole clusters—and it paid off.

“The decision to go mainly whole cluster in 2024 was both brave and successful.” — Steen Öhman, Winehog

That’s not nothing. Dujac’s hallmark has long included whole-cluster fermentation, but making it the spine in a tougher year takes conviction. The early takes in Winehog’s piece point to a house staying true to feel and finesse, even as the vintage leans toward structure over seduction.

Style snapshot: Burgundy Pinot Noir, Dujac-style

Region/appellation: Côte de Nuits, Burgundy—villages highlighted include Nuits-Saint-Georges (Aux Cras), Chambolle-Musigny, and Morey-Saint-Denis.

Grape: Pinot Noir.

Overall style: dry, classically medium-bodied reds with Dujac’s signature whole-cluster lift—think floral spice, cool red fruit tones, and a fine-boned frame that favors energy over heft.

What Winehog flagged: a challenging year relative to recent standouts, with quality “behind” stronger vintages. Still, at Dujac there’s clarity and purpose in the wines that matter.

“2024 reds are a bit behind 2025, 2023, and 2022.” — Steen Öhman, Winehog

Even within a tighter year, the early notes speak to personality: a ferric-mineral Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Cras (négoce), a more powerful Chambolle-Musigny that benefits from stems, and a Morey-Saint-Denis that reads “textbook Dujac” with silkier fruit and elegant intensity. Translation: expect the house to lean into brightness, texture, and perfume over raw ripeness.

Context: whole cluster in a challenging year

If you’ve followed Dujac—or Burgundy, period—you know whole clusters can introduce savory spice, floral lift, and a more architected tannin. In warm, ripe years, stems can bring freshness and contour. In cooler or less even seasons, they can add aromatic complexity and tactile structure that keeps the wine lively. Dujac tends to make it feel seamless.

Öhman’s framing of 2024 as a “bit behind” recent years tracks with broader chatter around Burgundy: the highs can be high, but consistency takes work. The early Dujac reads show the house signature still coming through, especially in villages where terroir speaks decisively—Chambolle’s precision, Morey’s silk-and-stone poise, Nuits’ iron-tinged drive.

Worth noting, Öhman has history with the domaine—decades deep—and that context matters. When someone who’s tasted a legendary 1976 Clos Saint-Denis calls Dujac a “safe haven,” it’s not nostalgia; it’s muscle memory. Consistency isn’t hype here; it’s a track record.

How to approach and enjoy

Buying intent: If you’re a Dujac loyalist, 2024 looks like a vintage where the cellar’s touch—especially whole cluster—preserves charm and line. Expect dry, medium-bodied Pinot Noir with aromatic lift, fine tannin, and a savory-spiced edge. It’s less about opulence, more about articulation and feel.

Cellaring: No crystal-ball dates here, but Burgundy Pinot of this style usually rewards a bit of patience. If you prefer brighter fruit, earlier drinking is fine; if you chase harmony and nuance, give it time.

Best occasion: A thoughtful dinner with wine friends, or a quiet night when you want detail over drama. This is a conversation wine, not a shouty one.

Best pairing direction: Roast poultry, duck breast, or mushroom-driven dishes. Keep the seasoning earth-leaning (thyme, soy, rosemary), and let the wine’s red-fruit spice and fine tannin do the rest.

Takeaway

Domaine Dujac 2024 reads like practiced hands guiding a trickier year toward grace. Whole cluster wasn’t a gimmick—it was a compass. If you’re shopping Burgundy for definition and lift rather than sheer ripeness, keep an eye on these wines. As Öhman puts it, the choice “was both brave and successful”—and in 2024, that bravery might be what makes the difference between good and compelling.

Original author: Steen Öhman (Winehog – with a passion)

Source: https://winehog.org/visit-tasting-2024-domaine-dujac-71835/