2016 Domaine de La Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot Monopole

Though Vougeot is best known for the highly reputed Clos de Vougeot, covering almost 51 hectares, the Premier Cru and Village appellations in the remaining 16.5 hectares should not be forgotten. Connoisseurs yearn for this wine, from vineyards in such a fabled position. 

 

 

HISTORY

 

For the first 680 years of this vineyard’s history, it was tended by the monks of Cîteaux, who planted the Clos de Vougeot and the majority of the neighbouring plots at the start of the 12th century. The Clos du Prieuré, like the rest, was sold off at the end of the 18th century under the French Revolution.

 

The Clos du Prieuré (priory enclosure) belonged to the Benedictine Priory of the Abbey of SaintGermain-des-Prés in Paris, who owned land in the neighbouring parish of Gilly from the 11th century. As the Abbey of Cîteaux grew, conflicts with Saint-Germain-des-Prés were inevitable. In 1499 Jean de Cirey, Abbot of Cîteaux, after selling off part of the Abbey’s crockery, finally succeeded in paying off the debt to the Parisian Abbey, which was forced to accept some land near Melun in exchange for abandoning its rights at Gilly and Vougeot.

 

 

OUR PARCEL

 

Geographical situation: Vougeot is located in the Côte de Nuits, between Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée, some twenty kilometres to the south of Dijon. The Clos du Prieuré name recalls the Priory, which used to own this land. The enclosure wall stands to this day, a rare occurrence in Burgundy. Located in the climat known as Le Village, it is separated from the neighbouring vines by a small track to the west and a stream to the East, the Vouge, which gave its name to the village and to our Domaine. The southern edge is bounded by the road leading to the Château du Clos de Vougeot, home of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. Surface: 0,8258 ha Exposure: East-facing. Plantings: 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1990-91. Grape variety: 100 % Chardonnay Soil and subsoil: very calcareous, lots of rounded pebbles. Pure silt subsoil.

 

Le Domaine de la Vougeraie

Planting density: 10 000 vines/ha Rootstock: 85%massal selection and 15% clones Pest management since 1992 Organic agriculture. Received official approval ECOCERT in 1999. Training: Cordon de Royat Vineyard news: Ullage planted out. Earthing-up of the vines in winter. Spraying of nettle and rhubarb, horsetail, yarrow, tansy, comfrey tea during each treatment. Biodynamic preparation of 500 and 501 at the end of the winter and of 501 in spring before the flower. Suckers removed in spring.