Joseph Drouhin, a 22-year-old Chablisienne, founded his own wine company in Beaune in 1880. His son Maurice succeeded him and started buying up premium vineyard land. Robert succeeded Maurice in 1957, acquiring even more vineyards, including some in Chablis, and was one of the first in Burgundy to stop using chemicals and pesticides in the vineyards. Today, Robert and his wife Francoise's four children, Philippe, Veronique, Laurent, and Frederic run the house of Drouhin. With 80 hectares of vineyards, Joseph Drouhin is one of the largest estates in Burgundy, owning land from Chablis, in the north, through the Cotes de Nuits and Beaune, and finally Cote Challonaise, in the south. For the regional appellations, the Drouhins complement their fruit supplies by purchasing fruit from long-time grower partnerships. The Domaine Marquis de Laguiche piece of the Montrachet vineyard is a notable part of the Drouhin wine list, with 30% being the largest percentage of land owned.
