The cellarman is back! Winter in the vines Mild and wet

is a normal average for a well-maintained vineyard. Replanting is difficult this year, however, due to the Ladu DOMAINE DElettre LA VOUGERAIE mild and wet weather. We haven’t really had a proper N°60. winter 2019-2020 winter with no consecutive days of frost at -5°C. With such damp weather, we’ll need to be very vigilant in The spirit of the domaine the spring with regard to both powdery mildew on We’d barely blown out the candles the wood and soil-borne downy mildew. on our 20th birthday cake when 2020 In April, we were delighted to be reunited ♦ was already upon us! The wines of ♦ Ageing the 2018s: with our beloved cellarman Jean-Luc after Trellising has also been replaced in older plots in four years of absence. It wasn’t just his 2019 are now just embarking on The penultimate step. the lower part of Gevrey-Chambertin and those of Voluptuous fruit for physical strength we were missing, but his the ageing process in the beneficial Beaune villages, with headers and wires, stakes and a vintage with wonderful mind, too! With his broad and immutable Pruning in the vine of Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles chill of the cellar. Some are lagging keeping potential smile and legendary calm, Jean-Luc man- staples refreshed for optimal foliage height. as usual, but as February draws ♦ ages around 700 barrels in the cellar, not to The vines suffered during the very hot and dry summer near, they have almost all finished With this wet soil, we are still waiting for a good weather their malolactic fermentations. mention the empties which also require a weather. After harvesting, our winegrowers sprayed ♦ The 2019 wines window to carry out systematic semi-earthing up to Now begins a year and a half of lot of attention. all the vines with biodynamic preparation 500. Made embark upon While he was away, some new appellations from cow dung and horn, it has properties that help protect the vine stocks and bury weeds, and to facilitate close monitoring by our cellarman Jean-Luc, who returned to us last the ageing process have arrived and others went on stand-by, structure the soil and promotes the formation of humus. plowing in early spring when we’ll dig between the An exceptional spring, and who now reigns over but he has easily adapted to these minor ♦ vine stocks to remove weeds and to ensure good soil Planting small fruit trees this year vintage is born changes. in the plot of Le Clos Vougeot a cellar organized with military Then the soil was lightly tilled in all vineyards and structure in summer. contents precision. As for the very generous Jean-Luc is now being assisted by Antoine, the soil was fully plowed at Le Clos Blanc and the Henri Thomas, our vineyard manager, wants everything 2018 vintage, this is enjoying its last few months of ageing. Some has ♦ Yet more magnums a young enologist, on the last rackings off upper part of Le Clos Vougeot, along with Le Clos to be finished before Easter because if the weather of the 2018s prior to bottling. “It’s the end been bottled already, and the last ones will be finished up in April. du Prieuré. Rain prevented us from doing more. The continues to be mild, there is a risk of early budburst. of the ageing process and we’re not far from Professional tastings are already taking place with some delightful vines then dropped their leaves, the sap descended, ♦ ♦ Winter in the vines: our goal, but we need to stay on top of the comments from the press. And finally, as part of our strategy of promoting game until the final whistle blows.” A keen and the hibernation period set in. Now it is time to ♦ Mild and wet biodiversity, on 12 December, we planted 10 new fruit football fan, he is also a man who likes a job start pruning to bring shape to the vines and prepare We hope that this new year – with its wonderful name that when them to bear this year’s grapes. trees, including almonds, apples, and pêche de vigne. spoken aloud in French sounds like “vin-vin” – will be filled with well done, even if he’s only been partially ♦ Jean-Luc is back! involved with this vintage. Then it will be ♦ happy moments and wonderful wines! time to clean the cellar from top to bottom, We started on 18 November after the first frost. It ♦ but never from bottom to top! is said that a March pruning is best for the vines, The Boisset family and the Domaine de la Vougeraie team In the spring it will be the turn of the last of which is why we wait until as late as possible before the 2018 whites, to be racked off. Between pruning our grand crus and as many other plots as All Domaine de la Vougeraie wines are certified organic April and the harvest, there will only be one possible. We do all we can to reduce the risk of a late THIS SEASON’S WINES vintage left in the cellar; the 2019. There frost striking our most prized plants. will then be a four-month period of relative ♦ Vougeot Nuits-Saint-Georges calm, for the general maintenance of the Premier Cru Clos It’s also time for mechanical work: Digging holes for Premier Cru Les Cras de Thorey Monopole Beaune barrels and the cellar. 2017 replanting during March and April of vines that have 2017 blanc 2017 We would like to take this opportunity to A dazzling color with flashes Lovely deep red colors over A golden color. died. This represents around 2% of our total, which Our new headers of ruby red. Intensity on Rounded, buttery notes. officially welcome our cellarman back to the the nose in its youth with hints a mineral nose with delicate fruit. Ardent and complex in An ample and deep wine estate. He has just signed up at university of black berries. In the mouth, with a slightly saline finish. the structure is dense the mouth, sophisticated and to study for a DTO, a diploma for enology intense, with a multitude of This wine would be an ideal domaine de la vougeraie - 7 bis, rue de l’Eglise - 21700 PREMEAUX-PRISSEY with chewiness and depth partner for a saffron on the finish. This silky wine tonalities. This elegant wine would technicians, so that he can, as he says, put FRANCE - www.domainedelavougeraie.com - domainedelavougeraie make a marvelous companion to and pumpkin risotto, would marry perfectly with sea bream, or goat cheese. his knowledge into words. a goulash, duck, or even mushrooms, especially porcini, TEL : (33) 03 80 62 48 25 - FAX : (33) 03 80 61 25 44 a strong cheese like Époisses. but would also be great with a Congratulations, Jean-Luc! [email protected] delicious Camembert. IN THE CELLAR The 2019 wines embark upon the ageing Ageing the 2018s: The penultimate step process: an exceptional vintage is born The superb 2019 vintage was put into barrels with more than 80% of Voluptuous fruit for a vintage with the staves coming from the forest of Cîteaux, which is a first for us. Yet more magnums! wonderful keeping potential The generosity of the 2018 vintage allowed us to widen out our offer of magnums, which are double bottles containing 1.5 liters. We are now producing even more appellations in this marvelous format, which is great for laying down and for serving at the finest tables. In addition to the grand crus, we will be using magnums for our Clos Blanc de Vougeot, the Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champ Gain, the Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de Thorey Following on from the expansive 2018, the 2019 vintage seems suitably full. Too much stirring and It will be and Damodes, Gevrey-Chambertin saw yields plummet by around 40% compared to the too heavy. We are seeking sophistication rather than Premier Cru Bel Air and Les Evocelles, previous year. This was due to shatter caused by a cold fattiness at the estate. Savigny-Les-Beaune Premier Cru Les spell during flowering. Fortunately, this had no impact ♦ Marconnets, Puligny-Montrachet, and

Our cellarman Jean-Luc carefully aligning the barrels with a cord. on quality. The maturity was excellent with very healthy At this stage, we are leaving nature to do its thing, and the Pommard Les Petits Noizons. and concentrated grapes with good acidity, thick skins, second malolactic fermentation happens spontaneously. However, we will be producing fewer Thegenerous 2018 vintage is spending its final months lovely acidity and none of the dilution we were fearing. and great balance. The harvest lasted for two weeks with This process naturally transforms the malic acid into jeroboams, which are double magnums in the cellar. In July, the first wines were bottled, starting All these elements come together for a perfect vintage a high proportion vinified in whole bunches. lactic acid, bringing a gentler sensation of acidity. For containing three liters apiece. This with the Bourgogne Pinot Noir Terres de Famille. Then for laying down. ♦ the whites, this finished just prior to Christmas, and for exceptional format is used for our in December, after 16 months of ageing, it was the turn of ♦ We will take great care of these precious and rare little the reds, it was two weeks before that. Of course, there Evocelles, Clos Blanc, Clos treasures, fruits of a natural world that was somewhat are always one or two cuvées that seem to lag, but we the three Beaune wines of La Montée Rouge, Les Grèves The reds are very fresh with lots of body. The whites, Vougeot, Bonnes Mares, disturbed across the growth cycle. Ageing is a slow will wait patiently for them. Premier Cru, and Clos du Roi; Gevrey-Chambertin La which were harvested at the perfect moment thanks to Charmes-Chambertin, quest for perfection and the wines have been in the ♦ Justice; two Vougeots, namely Clos du Prieuré Rouge careful ripeness checks, are all about white-fleshed fruit. Vougeot Premier Cru barrel for four months now. Exceptionally, this year the Jean-Luc and Antoine are topping up the barrels every and Premier Cru Les Cras; Pommard Les Petits Noizons; The style is fairly mineral and well-structured, thanks Les Cras, and our Nuits- proportion of wood from Cîteaux is between 80-90%. 10 days or so, and after racking off, the barrels need to Volnay; Vosne-Romanée Aux Champs Perdrix; and Corton to exceptional grapes that were both abundant and very Saint-Georges Clos de New appellations have also benefited from it, including be cleaned. Camille and Antoine are carrying out their Le Clos du Roi. This was all done under a waning moon healthy, having suffered less from drought than the Thorey. Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, La Montée Rouge, and analyses and the first tastings are just beginning. This to better concentrate the aromas. reds. These last few months in oak will bring out their Vougeot Premier Cu Les Cras. will continue until March with racking off from barrel These beautiful bottles ♦ great character. The whites were put into barrels when fermentation began. to barrel. are hand-waxed in From December to January, the red grand crus were ♦ The reds had to wait until after they had fermented in the ♦ the Domaine de la racked off with a view to bottling in February. The The next step happens in February with the third bottling vat and been pressed slowly and gently in the vertical press It is much too early to talk about style because the reds Vougeraie brand different batches of each wine were blended in stainless- phase for the grand cru reds. The final session will take where their intense red color was revealed, suggesting have only just completed their malolactic fermentation colors for an ever steel vats for several weeks to combine their nuances and place in April for the whites. Then we’ll need to wait six wonderful concentration. and are yet to fully express themselves. The whites are more exclusive touch. harmonize them into single cuvées. months for the wines to rest properly before they go ♦ showing good concentration and lovely acidity, and at ♦ to market in September. It’s always all about patience! After the first fermentation, we stirred the whites under this stage are more revealing in terms of analysis than The personality of the 2018 vintage is already established. a waxing moon once a month. Following tasting, we in tasting. These wines are very fruity, both reds and whites, with decide when to stop the stirring, at the point the wine