Grape variety
Tasting notes
Colour: Luminous, yet deep and dark crimson dress.
Bouquet: Very generous aromas of violet and small fruits (Morello cherry, blackcurrant). When older, it leans towards underbrush, fallen leaves and truffle over animal notes.
Palate: A great structure with delicate tannins. The attack is straightforward, vivacity and chewiness are harmoniously balanced, and the finish often carries a hint of liquorice.
Wine and food pairing
A great red Burgundy to pair with meat dishes such as roast fowl, roast lamb, or feathered game. Slow-cooked, spicy dishes such as couscous or glazed duck in the Chinese style will be perfectly at ease with its aromatic complexity.
As for cheeses, medium flavoured, soft-centred cheeses like Reblochon or Vacherin will make a good match.
Serving temperature
Serve ideally at 14 or 15°C.. (57-59°F.).
Ageing potential
8 years and more in good cellaring conditions.
History
A famous village located in the Côte de Nuits, in Burgundy, Vougeot takes its name from the small river that runs through it, the Vouge.
When one evokes its name, one immediately thinks of the famous Clos de Vougeot, but this village has other beautiful vineyards. Established here since the 12th century, the abbey of Cîteaux has given these wines a sparkling shine.
This appellation covers about 15 hectares, 11 of which are classified as Premier Cru. "Cras" is a word often used in the Burgundian vineyards to designate stony hillsides and scree slopes, formed of limestone pebbles.
Vougeot Premier Cru Les Cras lies against the north wall of the Clos de Vougeot, directly in line with the central section of the Grand Cru, at an altitude of 240 to 250 metres.
Vinification and maturing
The grapes are hand harvested and then destemmed but not crushed (therefore whole) and directly put in vats by gravity. Maceration occurred about 20 days in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts only followed by a 15 months ageing period in oak barrels (50% new barrels), on lees and without racking.
Vintage : 2019
Winter was mild across whole Burgundy. Bud break started early April in our Domaine’s vineyards.
On April the 5th, a significant frost-freeze made damages in several plots. The villages of Rully and Mercurey were then less affected by a second freeze wave that occurred from the 13 to 14th of April, as the growers and people organized smoke screens to protect the vineyards.
The first grapes bunches appeared around the 20th of April.
Spring maintained damp but cold overall, during the whole month of May until flowering which began mid-June (10-15 of June.). This type of weather provided coulure and a very slow vegetative development of the vine.
Summer was then very hot (heatwave) and dry and causes “millerandage”.
Harvest took place in our estates from the 9th to the 24th of September under a radiant sun. The grapes showed good maturity and perfect balance. Throughout our estates volumes were down around 30%, with some plots more affected than others.