The Domaine’s first certified corks For the first time, we have decided to use corks certified by the Forest Stewardship In the cellar Council (FSC), an international label Bottling the last of the 2007 that encourages responsible forest After resting in the cellar for two months, the lastcuvées from the 2007 vintage were bottled on 25 management in social, ecological and Ladu DOMAINE lettre DE LA VOUGERAIE March. The Clos du Roi and the Musigny following on from the Corton-Charlemagne, economic terms – an essential approach N°27. Spring 2009 in our opinion. Of course, this choice is Clos Blanc, Charmes-Chambertin and the . It was a special time for this final also a key part of our quest for excellence stage in the ageing of a : The end of a waning moon and on a “root” and “flower” day in the in all our . lunar calendar, to accentuate the terroir and preserve the aromas respectively. These are ideal days to capture in a bottle all the spirit and soul of a wine. These wonderful looking corks were THE SPIRIT OF WINE ♦ In the vines immediately appealing to us – they are The two great whites of Clos Blanc and Corton-Charlemagne were left unfiltered and the reds A tough winter and Dear Friends, softer to the touch, and the sides and area were lightly filtered. a tricky spring in contact with the wine are very smooth The quantities of red were average but the quantities of white were remarkable: The Clos Blanc After what felt like an endless winter without any veins, cut from the best part produced 14,000 bottles this year compared to 10,000 in a normal year. This is one of those rare with cold and snow, the spring has been playing hard to get. But the of the bark. Even though the FSC corks where quality is in perfect harmony with quantity, reminiscent of 1999 which was also occasional sunny day and climbing ♦ Le Prieuré are supposed to be equivalent to “extra” highly productive but in both colors. temperatures have nonetheless been an oasis of springtime quality corks, just a notch below the After being left to rest for six months when they will have time to get over the shock of the giving us hope. The vegetation was a longer top-of-the-range “fleur” corks we biodynamics process, they will then be dispatched, after the tiring heat of the summer is past and the 2009 little late emerging but now, at the end use for our most prestigious wines, we of March, the pruning is finished, the feel they are right up there with – if not vendanges put to bed. ♦ EAgeing the 2008s ♦ earth is freshly turned to reveal lines even better than – the “fleur” range. of brown furrows between the tightly- gentleness and time... All the estate’s corks undergo “Clean spaced rows and the metal wires O”-type washing without peroxide, Dynamic bottling for biodynamic wines gleam in the setting sun. Everything resume which gives them a natural full color. We used a new bottling machine this year for the wines from the 2007 vintage, which offers is set. The Côte looks combed, sitting there expectantly, ♦ The Domaine’s first The surface is treated with an emulsion a very interesting new technique. The bottles are still stoppered with a vacuum in the space and yet serenely ready to welcome the return of life, light of paraffin for its sealing properties and between the cork and the wine, but this new technique means the wine is bottled in inert and warmth, to receive the sap in its veins. It is all there – certified corks silicone for easy removal. the miracle is being prepared in the invisible secrecy of the conditions. The oxygen is replaced with a neutral gas before the bottles are filled in order to cosmos. This exceptional cork comes from better protect the wine. Another example – if one were needed – of how biodynamic philosophy At the Domaine de la Vougeraie, the moon guides our work ♦ In the cellar certified Portuguese cork trees managed is far from being at odds with advanced technology. with its unceasing rhythm. We have just finished bottling Bottling the last of by Amorim, the world’s leading cork the last of the 2007, which will rest now through the summer the 2007 vintage manufacturer, with some 12,000 hectares. before reaching you in September. The 2008 wines are still The five first 2007 vintage cuvées to maturing at a slow and measured pace. enjoy these new stoppers are Gevrey- It is as if time has stopped in a strange parenthesis before the ♦ Dynamic bottling Chambertin, Gevrey-Chambertin Les cycle starts again. And it is once again a pleasure to share for biodynamic wines Evocelles, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier our daily work with you through the changing seasons of Cru Bel Air, Beaune Premier Cru Les vine and wine. Grèves and Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier ♦ Cru Les Corvées Pagets. The Boisset Family and the Domaine de la Vougeraie team. Depending on the results, which we WINE OF SEASON suspect will be excellent, in a year’s time Gevrey-Chambertin Côte de Beaune Fête de Famille we will decide whether to extend the trial Premier Cru Bel Air Les Pierres Blanches 2002 to our monopoles and grand crus. 2004 2005 The nose combines fine fruity A pale color, good body and a A fine and expressive nose, with The biggest organic estate notes with an elegant roasted rich constitution with a touches of pêche de vigne, citrus on the Côte d’Or in terms of surface woody touch. In the mouth, it harmonious finish, and hawthorn. A straightforward area, the Domaine de la Vougeraie is offers depth and complexity. wonderfully elegant style and attack gives way to a mineral tension and a wood-tinted finish. also a pioneer in France in terms of new This is a fine and dense fine minerality. This is a wine wine that is very agreeable to be decanted 30 minutes Superb length on the tongue. A corks produced with the same care and domaine de la vougeraie - premeaux - 21700 nuits-saint-georges to drink now. Perfect with before serving and would be highly characteristic sparkling wine and an ideal all-rounder to attention as that which we lend to france - tel : (33) 3 80 62 48 25 fax : (33) 3 80 61 25 44 sophisticated red meat the perfect accompaniment our wines. dishes like filet of beef with to a chicken breast with accompany prawn canapés or a www.domainedelavougeraie.com chanterelle mushrooms. tomatoes and basil.. chocolate moelleux. EAgeing the 2008s: NEWS Gentleness and time... In the vines We have reached the end of March, A tough winter and a tricky spring Le Prieuré – an oasis of springtime biodynamics and after six months in the cellar, most of the 2008 vintage has yet to start its malolactic fermentation. Although a few As usual, February and March were dedicated For a change, this year we haven’t put any The start of spring means the return of in our “herborium” at the Clos du Prieuré. We rare red cuvées have finished theirs, such to pruning the vines and a cold snap in early compost on the reds and just a little on the vegetation, fresh grass, flowers and herbs, and only use local, wild plants and there is a wide as the Beaune Clos du Roi, Beaune La February with temperatures falling to as low whites. Checks during the last harvest revealed an overall budburst of life in general! This is the range of flora to be found if one looks in the Montée Rouge and the Vougeot Clos du as -15°C (5°F) saw the winegrowers to burn satisfactory nitrogen levels in the marcs, which perfect time to replenish our store cupboard vines and surrounding areas; in the ditches, Prieuré, the majority are lagging behind their vine clippings for some precious warmth would suggest that the same goes for the soil. of provisions for the different preparations meadows, riverbanks and forests, on the during this period when nothing seems on the Côte. The task was completed by mid- We have to be careful as an excess of nitrogen that will boost the strength of our vines and limestone rock of the Montagne overlooking to happen, when this suspension of March with the whites, the Clos Blanc, the also promotes vigorous growth of gray rot. We time and space prepares the wines for Prieuré Blanc and the Musigny. will carry out foliage analysis during this year’s revitalize plant and soil, and which are already the vines – many different location offer many metamorphosis into their future selves– ♦ harvest to check whether we made the right helping out the start of the vegetative cycle as different varieties in an area of just a few square something that requires thought and The tough winter was beneficial but in order to choice. infusions and brews to sprinkle or spray. miles... energy! It is difficult to taste them now, truly eliminate the unwanted microorganisms, ♦ Thierry Jeannin, who looks after the vines on ♦ as they are still slightly fizzy and very extreme temperatures of as low as -40°C the Côte de Nuits, is the man responsible for acidic. (-40°F) are necessary. In the vines, the teams the harvest, drying and dynamic preparations At this stage, one cannot yet really are now busy earthing up the plants and tying talk about ageing because ageing, up the canes. according, to Pierre only begins once ♦ the malolactic fermentations – or malos – have finished, which one generally does not extend beyond eight months. Leaving the wines in wood for too long on the one hand exposes them to the risk of drying out because the lees no longer give anything to the wine, and on the other hand, can lead to unwanted aromas. Given the late start of the malos, we are aiming for the first bottlings to take place in September, compared to Highly pampered staves July for the two previous years. For the moment, this calm is only The Cîteaux wood staves bought in 2007 were broken by ouillage or topping up, every rotated in February to ensure an even patina. ten days, leaving some precious time for Those on the inside were placed on the outside, Jean-Luc, our cellarman, to spring-clean and those below were moved on top. They look our lovely little cellar, the last one to finally be restored to its original like they are brand new now and they won’t be splendor. used until 2010. Soon we will be welcoming the latest selection which Pierre bought in November. A handcrafted task for future barrels of Cistercian wonder – from rough and raw to smooth and almost spiritual...

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