Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Reviews

The black cherry core is framed by vanilla and smoky oak notes in this powerful, beefy red. The tannins dominate the ripe fruit at this stage, contributing to a raw finish. The elements are all there, but this needs time to come together in the cellar. Best from 2017 through 2035.

Moderate wood influence frames the ripe and fresh nose that combines crushed red berries, earth, dried rose petal and subtle kirsch and spice hints. There is good power, size and weight to the medium weight plus flavors where once again the underlying tannins are relatively fine grained, all wrapped in a mouth coating, balanced and cool finish that delivers excellent persistence where the wood resurfaces. Note that this will also require 12 to 15 years of cellar time to arrive at its full potential.

A fine bouquet of perfectly ripe fruit with a red berry character extends to a complex and aromatic palate, with finesse and great length.

The 2010 Clos de Vougeot possesses stunning textural depth and richness. Layers of dark red fruit, smoke, licorice and sweet spices are woven together beautifully in the glass. The energy and wiriness of Vougeot is palpable, but there is more than enough fruit to fill out the wine’s broad shoulders. This is another fabulous effort. The domaine has two parcels in Clos Vougeot: a 1.2 hectare parcel next to the chateau and a second smaller parcel measuring 0.23 hectares on the bottom part of the vineyard by the main road. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045. This is stunning set of wines from Pierre Vincent and Domaine de la Vougeraie. It is impossible to miss the attention to detail at this impeccably run domaine. No expense is spared. It takes 80 people to work the vineyards during harvest and another 20 in the cellar to take it from there. Production in 2010 was of course down significantly as it was everywhere else. Yields came in at 24 hectoliters per hectare for the Pinot and 29 for the Chardonnay. Vincent used between 30-80% whole bunches, depending on the wine. Readers who want to learn more might want to check out my video interview with Pierre Vincent on www.erobertparker.com. I will report on the domaine’s 2009s in the April issue. For now let me just say the 2009 Musigny is one of the wines of the vintage.

Moderate reduction renders the nose difficult to assess other than to observe a bit of wood spice and aromas that appear to be notably ripe. There is by contrast plenty of verve and power to the brooding, dense and well-muscled flavors that possess ripe and very firm supporting tannins and outstanding length. Vincent noted that he believes that this is the best Clos de Vougeot that he has ever made and I would have to agree that at this early juncture, it is the most promising example that I have tasted at this address.

The 2009 Clos de Vougeot is impeccable from start to finish. Layers of succulent red fruit emerge from this structured yet balanced, harmonious wine. A final burst of red fruit informs the energetic, polished finish. The Clos de Vougeot is made from two parcels, the first at the top of the hill measures 1.2 hectares, the second to the bottom 0.3 hectares, aged separately and blended one month prior to bottling. The wine was fermented with 30% whole clusters and aged in 70% new oak with no rackings during elevage. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. Biodynamic farming and non-interventionalist winemaking are at the heart of the approach at Domaine de la Vougeraie. The 2009s saw roughly a 25 days of maceration (including a week of cold soak) with one punch down a day. Once in barrel racking was kept to a bare minimum. A number of wines were bottled in late 2010 and early 2011. I tasted these wines with winemaker Pierre Vincent in March 2011.

Tasted out of the barrel at the Domaine. A blend from their two parcels at the bottom and top of the Grand Cru, this has a lifted bouquet of cassis, blueberry and dark cherries, prominent new oak but here in synch with the fruit and it should meld nicely over time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins on the entry, a pleasing sense of symmetry here with fine definition and freshness on the crisp, redcurrant and Morello finish. This is a very fine Clos Vougeot. Tasted November 2010

(from an exceptionally well-positioned 1 ha parcel situated directly beneath Les Petits Musigny that is combined with another less well located .35 ha parcel close to the main road) 40% whole clusters. This is quite densely fruited with floral and freshly turned earth aromas adding interest to the wild and medium-toned red berry fruit. The delicious, intense and serious broad-shouldered flavors possess excellent mid-palate and concentration with ample amounts of dry extract that partially buffers the chewy and ripe tannins on the long and less austere than usual finish, 2023+

Drink 2017-2024 Very slightly cheesy on the nose. Then very sweet. Lots of fine tannin. Masses of fruit. Positively voluptuous.