NDG CLOS DE VOUGEOT DINNER - Summer Pavilion, Ritz Carlton, Singapore (12/2/2018)
Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is one of the most recognisable vineyards in Burgundy. Named for the River Vouge, the Clos de Vougeot AOC is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits entitled to the grand cru designation (although still smaller than Corton in the Côte).
The name, Clos Vougeot, has been famous for centuries. First planted by Cistercian monks of Cîteaux Abbey, the land making up the vineyard was purchased by, or donated to them, between the 12th to 14th centuries. The vineyard was complete, and a wall had been built around it, by the year 1336, and it served as the “flagship” vineyard of the Cistercians.
In the French Revolution, all vineyard possessions were taken from the church by the French state, and sold off to private buyers. By the early 2000s, given the many Byzantine splits, resellings and inheritances that affected the vineyard, Clos de Vougeot counted among more than 80 owners amongts its constituent parts.
Much due to the fact that wines from the vineyard are made by a plethora of different winemakers, I have never quite got a handle to what a Clos Vougeot is really supposed to taste like. How exactly is the terroir expressed in terms of flavour and profile? I thought this evening, where we managed to put together an entire horizontal of CdV wines from one vintage - 2002- would be a good time to see if we could draw some common thread.
Unfortunately, if anything else, the tasting underlined just how diferent and varied the wines from Clos Vougeot can be. Makers styles and the varying terroirs within the huge vineyard made for completely different expressions. If anything, there were only two clear themes that stood out: First, these were all wines with expressive noses, but more serious and reserved palates. Second, when not carefully managed, the wines tended towards rusticity on the palate. Other than that, they really ran the gamut.
Is it a true Grand Cru though? In the right plots, in the hands of the right winemakers, definitely yes. Otherwise - caveat emptor.
BUBBLES TO START
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2002 Bruno Paillard Champagne Nec Plus Ultra - France, Champagne
A huge champagne, very delicious. The nose was starting to show nice notes of development, with earth and mineral, white fruit, cherry skins and lemon zest, and just a bit of yeast at the edge of the bouquet. The palate had real girth on it - deep, powerful, even a touch obvious, with big round flavours of white fruit lined with more the cherry pip and lemon zest leading into a full, spicy finish. The mousse was just starting to mellow, but the whole structure was held up nicely with plenty of grippy mineral and really fresh, lemony acidity. Still tons left in its tank, but this was very nice even now - it should be lovely to taste in 3-4 years down the road. (93 pts.) -
2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
En Magnum - this was very different from the 2002 Paillard NPU we had together, gentler, more elegant, but equally impressive in its own way. There was a lovely nose here as well - cream, white flowers, white fruit and gentle chalky, stony mineral notes. Lovely stuff. The palate was a lot more youthful and tighter than the nose would lead one to expect, with tons of bright, juicy, mouthwatering acidity and a fine but vigorous mousse draped around a core of pure, slightly sweet white fruit laced with sour lemons, flowers and and then a nice, long mineral finish. Still a baby, but this should age really nicely. (93 pts.)
FLIGHT 1
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2002 Domaine Perrot-Minot Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This had a lovely nose, really earthy and loamy, with toasted oak, wood spice and dark fruit underneath. The palate was a shift in gear though. It still had the freshness of the vintage, but there was marked sense of oak and extraction on it, coming out in almost bittersweet notes at points, with bramble and dried orange peel notes twisted around a sweet, dark fruited core. Finish was a touch hollow, petering out in a linger of wood spice. There was some power, depth and length; balance was pretty good. Even then, this was decent rather than great - I felt it was overworked. (90 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Philippe Charlopin Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Pretty good. Like the Perrot-Minot that preceded it, this also showed quite a bit of extraction and oak influence, but I thought it wore it better than the first wine. The nose showed a bit of toast and spice, more of that overt oaky vanillin character, then some meat, earth, and a touch of green cherries and something a bit vegetal at the sides. Decent enough. The palate was rather more controlled than the Perrot-Minot for sure, showing red fruit laced with wood spice and a bit of earthiness. There was a nicely balanced feel to it, with a good clarity and litheness to it in spite of the obvious oak and extraction - I enjoyed the wine. Drinking well now. (92 pts.) -
2002 Hervé Roumier Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Never heard of this maker before, but the wibe was very pleasant indeed - clearly the pick of the flight. This had a nicely perfumed nose of earth, meat and loam, with a core of cherries seasoned with a bit of spice and bramble. Nice stuff. It had the best palate of the quartet as well - limpid and lively, with dark cherries lined with a bedding of earth and a chew of mineral and bittersweet herb moving into the finish. With time, a nice floral lilt came out as well. Apart from the slight bitterness, this was pretty good. In an enjoyable drinking window now. (93 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Charles Thomas Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A rather strange wine - very sweet on the nose, with almost candied red fruit lined with a touch of green notes. Simple - almost new world like. Same on the palate. It had a nice softness and showed some of the lovely balance of the 2002 vintage, but came across a bit one-dimensional, with the same sweet cherries lined with a touch more bittersweet vegetal notes in an otherwise satisfyingly juicy finish. All in all, decent enough, and drinking well, but a rather incomplete wine for a Grand Cru. (90 pts.)
FLIGHT 2
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2002 Gérard Raphet Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A bit ho-hum. This had a pleasant nose of red fruit touched with a bit of earth, sweet spice and flower stalks. Nice enough. The palate was quite a bit spicier than the nose, with pepper and cloves worked through a core of darker fruit - blueberry I thought - leading into a little rustic finish with a chew of tannins and a bit of bittersweet vegetals. Okay. Fresh and balanced enough, but this was drinkable rather than great. (90 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Château De La Tour Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This was very solid. The best amongst its flight, just about besting the more elegant Arnoux I thought. The nose reflected the whole cluster character of the wine very clearly, with wild notes of perfumed flowers, sweet spice and herby stalks drifting about a lovely lifted red fruitedness. Really nice. The palate was still very tight and young, with firm tannins and well buried acidity forming a muscular but noble frame for deep notes of sweet black cherries and darker blueberries, lined with more of those whole cluster herbal notes leading into a chewy finish. Lovely clarity here. Unlike most of the other wines on the night though, this feels like it needs many years yet. It would be interesting to try again sometime around 2020-2022. (93 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
I liked this very much. It took awhile in the glass to get going, but it was very good when it finally started to show. It had a lovely nose, more masculine than most of the other wines in the flight, with nice wafts of earth and meat, a bit of spice, and a nice core of sweet, red cherry fruit aromas. The palate had a lovely limpid clarity to it, with sleek flavours of red cherries kissed with a nice bit of spice and bramble. Silky tannins and sweet acidity pulled the wine into a nice long finish. Very good - this was a classy wine that was just starting to show nicely with a bit of time in the glass. This should be a very enjoyable drink over the next few years and beyond. (93 pts.) -
2002 Jean-Jacques Confuron Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Very attractive, but not quite as complete as either the Chateau de la Tour or the Arnoux. It had a drop-dead gorgeous nose though, easily the best of the lot. This was perfumed and seductive, more RsV than CdV I thought, with drifts of violets, earth and spice alongside sweet lifted red fruited scents. Beautiful stuff. The palate had a lovely sleek elegance to it, with pure, elegant shades of red fruits lined with orange peel and a touch of spice. It just lacked the heft and depth of the other wines in the flight, and felt just a bit short for a Grand Cru; but the clarity, balance and fresh elegance of the wine made it very pleasurable. (92 pts.)
FLIGHT 3
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2002 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A good drop. This had the typically expressive Meo-Camuzet nose, with notes of coffee and toasted spice, meat and earth, with lifted aromas of red cherries, flower stems and a bit of vegetal herbs. Complex and interesting stuff, but it was actually on the palate where this really shone, with a velvety richness in its red cherry flavours wed to a lovely clarity and finesse - pure Meo class I thought. The finish was solid too. Long, full and fresh, with nice notes of spice and earth dancing around the back palate. It is drinking deliciously now, but I cannot help but feel that a couple more years in the bottle will do it a world of good, perhaps pulling up more nuance and complexity to go alongside that immdiate yumminess. (93 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Jean Grivot Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
A serious wine, with some quality in there; but also seriously backwards, and needing many years yet. The nose was tight, but pleasant enough, with little wafts of wood spice and dark fruit drifting nicely out of the glass. The palate had a nice clarity and presence to it too, with nicely transparent notes of dark cherry infused with a real mouthful of peppery spice towards the finish. Unfortunately, much of this was diffused under a layer of firm, chewy tannins which made it feel a bit stubborn - especially at the finish where it shut down a bit. Very serious in tone. Quality was there, but this needs 6-8 years yet at least before broaching again. (91 pts.) -
2002 Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Another very nice wine. This nosed very differently from the other wines on the night, much more masculine, with lots of savoury earth and meat and loam swirling around dark fruit and boiled herb and spicy aromas. The palate had a lovely clarity and balance to it, with deliciously juicy flavours of dark cherries and more savoury orange peel lined with a nice bit of earthy minerality. Fine-boned tannins and nicely integrated acidity led the way into a long, spice tinged finish. There was a real backbone to this. A really complete wine, starting to drink well, but with its best years ahead of it yet. I would love to try it again in 3-4 years. (93 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Almost universally voted WOTN - this was a very good Clos Vougeot indeed. It had a very Leroy nose. Stems, herb, spice, tons of rich dark fruit - tremednously expressive, in a heady, seductive way. The palate was screaming Leroy as well - rich, sleek and voluptuous, with fine velvety tannins and nice acidity framing succulently juicy notes of red cherries and darker blue fruit, all perfectly integrated, and wonderfullt transparent in spite of its richness and power. A very complete showing. Finishes nicely too, with a good length of earthy mineral and spice kissed by a few bittersweet herb hints. Lovely stuff, drinking nicely now. (94 pts.)
THE SURPRISE EXTRA
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2009 Domaine Fourrier Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vougeot 1er Cru
The surprise interloper - this more than held its own in the crowd of CdV Grand Crus though. It had a beautiful lifted nose of cola, flowers and red fruit, backed with a touch of earth and hints of herb. Lovely. The palate was all florals and red fruited cherries draped with a cloak of fine tannins, and enlivened with a little chew of acidity. It was clean, clear and juicily pure in expression, yet with no lack concentration. Decent finish too - nice and bright, with a crunch of red fruits and a linger of violets. It was only a little bit of (very Fourrier) secondary fermentation fizz that distracted somewhat. Otherwise, a delicious wine that is showing very nicely in its youth. Should age well into the midterm as well. A nice way to end a good tasting. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
. Had it a few weeks ago, and your notes on the Grivot seems to resemble my impressions.