Vougeot 1er Cru “Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot” Monopole Reviews

From a triangle of vines adjacent to the Château du Clos de Vougeot, this block has been planted to white grapes at least as far back as 1110. Jasper Morris in his article, “Nuits Blanche” (W&S, October 2012), writes that the soil here is different from the rest of Clos de Vougeot, “an unusual salmon pink conglomerate of the Oligocene period.” Today, the monopole is planted mostly to chardonnay (95 percent) with a small amount of pinots gris and blanc. It produces a golden wine, the 2010 ripe with beeswax scents and fruit notes that range from lemon to pineapple. A tight structure holds all the ripeness, keeping the wine cool, focused for long aging.

As is typically the case this is much more interesting than its Vougeot stable mate with a softly wooded nose of wet stone, various white floral influences and plenty of ripe citrus. There is excellent punch to the notably more mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess good richness and volume before terminating in a delineated, balanced and notably dry finish that evidences an interesting note of almond.

The 2010 Vougeot Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot emerges from a monopole site. The Clos Blanc is marked by its brilliant aromatic lift and energy. The aromas and flavors flesh out nicely to the deep, creamy finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.