Clos de Vougeot
Grand Cru 2017
Clos de Vougeot is and will always be much more than just a wine. This appellation is a the standard bearer, the emblem of the whole Côte d’Or...
Origin
The Clos de Vougeot in the heart of the Côte de Nuits occupies most of the vineyard area belonging to the commune of Vougeot. Vougeot’s neighbours are Chambolle-Musigny, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanée. On the slopes at the upper end of the Clos, it abuts on the vineyards of Musigny and GrandsÉchezeaux. Founded around 1110 AD by the monks of nearby Cîteaux, who remained its owners until the French Revolution (1789), the Clos de Vougeot is a Burgundian icon. Its 50.59 ha. have never been broken up and it retains its identity intact within the walls which were built to enclose it 5 centuries ago. Its wines are among the finest of the Grands Crus reds.
The château, (which adjoins the cellars and the winery with its giant presses dating back to the 12th and 14th centuries), is built in the Burgundian Renaissance style and is open to visitors. The Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin holds its meetings or “chapters” here and therefore it is no surprise that the finest food and wine in France is found here.
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: mostly clay and very stony on the surface.
Orientation: East
Surface area under vine: 0,25 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 40 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 50 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 13 September 2017.
The grapes were handpicked. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and again on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: the grapes were 100% destemmed but not crushed (they were left whole) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration of 22 days including 5 days of cold maceration (12 ° C): Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only. 4 punchings of the cap.
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 18 months with no racking using a proportion of 50% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time for very delicate oaking.
Bottling
Bottling: in April 2019, the wine was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity.
Number of bottles: 1,250.
Vintage
2017 , finesse
The growing cycle was thrown off-kilter by a very cold winter, late spring frost, then optimal conditions for rapid flowering, sporadic hail, and summer drought. Harvesting began in early September in the sun, and after several lean years, the vines finally produced abundant grapes, although with significant differences in maturity between whites and reds and from one region to another, which called for strict sorting.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Tasting notes
With a beautiful ruby color, there is a lot of freshness on the first nose, aromas of blackberry raspberry and slightly spicy notes. On the palate, great finesse and silky tannins. A bottle with a strong persistence in the mouth!
