Clos Vougeot
Encyclopedia
Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is a wall-enclosed vineyard
, a clos
, in the Burgundy wine
region, and an Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) for red wine from this vineyard. It was named for the River Vouge, which is in fact only a stream separating the village Vougeot
from Chambolle-Musigny
. At 50.6 hectares (125 acre), Clos de Vougeot is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits
entitled to the grand cru designation, while Corton in Côte de Beaune
is the largest grand cru in Burgundy as a whole.
, the order's mother abbey. The land making up the vineyard was purchased by the Cistercians, or donated to them, from the 12th century to the early 14th century. The initial vineyard consisted of donations in 1109 to 1115. The vineyard was complete, and a wall had been built around it, by the year 1336. It served as the flagship vineyard of the Cistercians, and has been a highly recognised name for centuries.
Château de Clos de Vougeot, situated inside the wall, was added in 1551 by rebuilding and enlarging a small chapel and some other buildings previously existing at the site. From 1945, this building has served as headquarters of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin
.
In the French Revolution
, all vineyard possessions were taken from the church by the French state, and sold off to private buyers. In 1818, the château and vineyards of Clos de Vougeot was bought by Julien-Jules Ouvrard, who also bought the Romanée-Conti
vineyard in 1819. Ouvrard later moved to Château de Gilly, another former Cistercian property, but continued to take in an interest in the vineyards of Clos de Vougeot, which was then a monopoly
. After Ouvrard's death, Clos de Vougeot passed to his three heirs, but continued to be operated as a single property until 1889, when the heirs put it up for sale. It was bought by six Burgundy wine merchants, leading to a subdivided vineyard for the first time since its creation more than 700 years earlier. After that, the holdings have been progressively subdivided by inheritance and land sales. In the early 2000s, Clos de Vougeot was split among more than 80 owners.
One of the 1889 vineyard buyers, Léonce Bocquet, also bought the château, and initiated renovations of a part of it. In 1920, the château came into the hands of Etienne Camuzet, who was vineyard owner in Vosne-Romanée
and politician. He put it to the disposal of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and on November 29, 1944 sold it to the organisation Société civile des Amis du Château du Clos de Vougeot ("Friends of the Château du Clos de Vougeot"), which gave the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin a 99 year lease on the property.
The soils of Clos de Vougeot generally considered as those giving the best wines are those surrounding the château in the top corner. The soils here are light chalk
y and gravel
ly soils on oolitic limestone, with good drainage. This part of the vineyard borders to the grand cru vineyards Musigny and Grands Échezeaux
.
The soils of the middle part of the vineyard consist of softer limestone
with clay
and some gravel, and moderate drainage. Most other Côte de Nuits
vineyards situated at this level of the slope are classfied premier cru, but one part of the grand cru Échezeaux
borders on the middle part of Clos de Vougeot.
The bottom part of the vineyard, situated in the east and bordering the N74, the main road of the area, consists of humus-rich alluvial clay and is almost flat, with poor drainage. This part of the vineyard borders village level vineyards in the south and partially in the east, mostly regional-level vineyards in the east, on the other side of the N74, and some Vougeot premier cru vineyards in the north. All other grand cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits
are situated higher up in the slope, typically in its middle part, and no other grand cru vineyard stretch down to the N74 road.
Of the AOC's 50.6 ha, 47.3 hectares (116.9 acre) are in production.
. The INAO
appellation rules nevertheless makes it allowed to mix in up to 15 percent of Pinot Blanc
, Pinot Gris
or Chardonnay
. In principle, wines from any still existing plantations of Renevey are also allowed, but replantation of this variety has been forbidden since 1938.
The allowed base yield is 35 hectoliter per hectare
. The grapes must reach a maturity corresponding to a sugar content of at least 189 grams per liter of grape must and 11.5 per cent alcohol by volume. When chaptalization
is allowed, the alcohol level after chaptalization may not exceed 14.5 per cent.
Wines from Clos de Vougeot are also allowed the appellation Vougeot Premier Cru, if they fail to meet the standards of the grand cru itself. The Vougeot Premier Cru regulations are slightly less restrictive when it comes to yield and grape maturity, and more importantly, also allow the production of white wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. Thus, white wine that originate from within the Clos de Vougeot vineyard can be sold as white Vougeot Premier Cru, but not under the Clos de Vougeot AOC.
The wines of Clos de Vougeot rose to fame when the Cistercians tended the entire vineyard and produced the wine. In producing Clos de Vougeot, the Cistercians first produced cuvée
s from the different parts of the vineyard, and then blended them to produce a high-class wine. Typically, wine from the top and middle parts would be used, and only sometimes would the bottom part be used for the final Clos de Vougeot wine. Wine from lower down the slope can be better in dry years, so this blending practice allowed the production of a wine that should have been consistent in quality.
Since the entire area inside the wall is part of the Clos de Vougeot AOC, wines from every plot of it is entitled to the grand cru designation. Wineries which only have holdings in the lower part of the vineyard are unlikely to be able to produce wine which represents typical Burgundy grand cru quality, and it is far from certain that they will be able to match many producers' premier cru wines. However, since the grand cru designation is both a matter of pride and profitability, wines are likely to be marketed as Clos de Vougeot AOC.
The best Clos de Vougeot wines, when produced in a classical style, are typically dense when young, and robust rather than elegant in style. After some ten years of cellaring, however, Clos de Vougeot wines in this style can have developed into one of the most complete Côte de Nuits wines, and be fully on par with wines from more consistent grand cru vineyards.
Some notable producers of Clos de Vougeot wine are Méo-Camuzet, Anne Gros and René Engel.
, which is set in 1871.
"Clos Vougeot" is the preferred restorative of Miserrimus Dexter, a character in Wilkie Collins
' 1875 novel, The Law and the Lady
.
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
, a clos
Clos (vineyard)
Clos, from the French for Closure or enclosed, is a walled vineyard used to protect the grapes from theft as well as improving the mesoclimate...
, in the Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
region, and an Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) for red wine from this vineyard. It was named for the River Vouge, which is in fact only a stream separating the village Vougeot
Vougeot
Vougeot is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:The historical wall-enclosed Grand Cru vineyard Clos Vougeot is situated within the commune and makes up most of its vineyard surface.-See also:...
from Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.It is one of the wine villages situated on the Côte-d'Or escarpment, and is one of the twelve Cote d'Or communes of France which added/adopted the name of their most well-known vineyard as a suffix to the original name of...
. At 50.6 hectares (125 acre), Clos de Vougeot is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits
Côte de Nuits
The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the district and is the regional center...
entitled to the grand cru designation, while Corton in Côte de Beaune
Côte de Beaune
The Côte de Beaune area is the southern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is home to the great names of Burgundy wine. The Côte de Beaune starts between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Beaune, and extends southwards for about 25 km to the River Dheune...
is the largest grand cru in Burgundy as a whole.
History
The Clos de Vougeot vineyard was created by Cistercian monks of Cîteaux AbbeyCîteaux Abbey
Cîteaux Abbey is a Roman Catholic abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, France. Today it belongs to the Trappists, or Cistercians of the Strict Observance . The Cistercian order takes its name from this mother house of Cîteaux, earlier Cisteaux, near Nuits-Saint-Georges...
, the order's mother abbey. The land making up the vineyard was purchased by the Cistercians, or donated to them, from the 12th century to the early 14th century. The initial vineyard consisted of donations in 1109 to 1115. The vineyard was complete, and a wall had been built around it, by the year 1336. It served as the flagship vineyard of the Cistercians, and has been a highly recognised name for centuries.
Château de Clos de Vougeot, situated inside the wall, was added in 1551 by rebuilding and enlarging a small chapel and some other buildings previously existing at the site. From 1945, this building has served as headquarters of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin
Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin
Originally founded in 1703 as the Ordre de la Boisson , and resurrected under its current name in 1934, the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin is an exclusive club of Burgundy wine enthusiasts...
.
In the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, all vineyard possessions were taken from the church by the French state, and sold off to private buyers. In 1818, the château and vineyards of Clos de Vougeot was bought by Julien-Jules Ouvrard, who also bought the Romanée-Conti
Romanée-Conti
Romanée-Conti is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the sole grape variety. It is situated within the commune of Vosne-Romanée and is a monopole of the winery Société Civile du Domaine de la...
vineyard in 1819. Ouvrard later moved to Château de Gilly, another former Cistercian property, but continued to take in an interest in the vineyards of Clos de Vougeot, which was then a monopoly
Monopole (wine)
A monopole is an area controlled by a single winery and can be as small as a lieu-dit or as large as an entire appellation d'origine contrôlée, such as Bordeaux or Champagne. Frequently this is mentioned on the label and it is rare for only one winery to produce all the wine from an area...
. After Ouvrard's death, Clos de Vougeot passed to his three heirs, but continued to be operated as a single property until 1889, when the heirs put it up for sale. It was bought by six Burgundy wine merchants, leading to a subdivided vineyard for the first time since its creation more than 700 years earlier. After that, the holdings have been progressively subdivided by inheritance and land sales. In the early 2000s, Clos de Vougeot was split among more than 80 owners.
One of the 1889 vineyard buyers, Léonce Bocquet, also bought the château, and initiated renovations of a part of it. In 1920, the château came into the hands of Etienne Camuzet, who was vineyard owner in Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Burgundy in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:It produces the region's most celebrated wines, all made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape: "There can be little doubt that in the firmament of the Cote de nuits, Vosne-Romanée is the brightest...
and politician. He put it to the disposal of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and on November 29, 1944 sold it to the organisation Société civile des Amis du Château du Clos de Vougeot ("Friends of the Château du Clos de Vougeot"), which gave the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin a 99 year lease on the property.
Layout and geography of the vineyard
The vineyard is roughly rectangular, gently sloping from a corner in the northwest down toward the south and east. The château is situated in this corner. Since the vineyard is large and situated in a slope, it is not homogeneous from a geological point of view. The soils have typically been a determining factor in determining the classification and extent of other Burgundy vineyards, while in this case, the wall-enclosed area has been classified in the same way.The soils of Clos de Vougeot generally considered as those giving the best wines are those surrounding the château in the top corner. The soils here are light chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
y and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
ly soils on oolitic limestone, with good drainage. This part of the vineyard borders to the grand cru vineyards Musigny and Grands Échezeaux
Grands Échezeaux
Grands Échezeaux is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Grands Échezeaux is located within the commune of Flagey-Echézeaux, on a strip of land between the territory of the...
.
The soils of the middle part of the vineyard consist of softer limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
and some gravel, and moderate drainage. Most other Côte de Nuits
Côte de Nuits
The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the district and is the regional center...
vineyards situated at this level of the slope are classfied premier cru, but one part of the grand cru Échezeaux
Échezeaux
Échezeaux is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Échezeaux is located within the commune of Flagey-Echézeaux, on a strip of land between the territory of the communes...
borders on the middle part of Clos de Vougeot.
The bottom part of the vineyard, situated in the east and bordering the N74, the main road of the area, consists of humus-rich alluvial clay and is almost flat, with poor drainage. This part of the vineyard borders village level vineyards in the south and partially in the east, mostly regional-level vineyards in the east, on the other side of the N74, and some Vougeot premier cru vineyards in the north. All other grand cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits
Côte de Nuits
The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the district and is the regional center...
are situated higher up in the slope, typically in its middle part, and no other grand cru vineyard stretch down to the N74 road.
Of the AOC's 50.6 ha, 47.3 hectares (116.9 acre) are in production.
Regulations
Clos de Vougeot is an AOC for red wine produced from Pinot NoirPinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
. The INAO
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with Protected Designations of Origin . Controlled by the French government, it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture...
appellation rules nevertheless makes it allowed to mix in up to 15 percent of Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
, Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
or Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
. In principle, wines from any still existing plantations of Renevey are also allowed, but replantation of this variety has been forbidden since 1938.
The allowed base yield is 35 hectoliter per hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
. The grapes must reach a maturity corresponding to a sugar content of at least 189 grams per liter of grape must and 11.5 per cent alcohol by volume. When chaptalization
Chaptalization
Chaptalization is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique is named after its developer, the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal...
is allowed, the alcohol level after chaptalization may not exceed 14.5 per cent.
Wines from Clos de Vougeot are also allowed the appellation Vougeot Premier Cru, if they fail to meet the standards of the grand cru itself. The Vougeot Premier Cru regulations are slightly less restrictive when it comes to yield and grape maturity, and more importantly, also allow the production of white wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. Thus, white wine that originate from within the Clos de Vougeot vineyard can be sold as white Vougeot Premier Cru, but not under the Clos de Vougeot AOC.
Wines
Both the geological heterogeneity of Clos de Vougeot, and the bewildering array of many small vineyard holders, contribute to making wines produced under the Clos de Vougeot AOC designation very variable in style and quality. Very fine wine of classic quality as well as very mediocre wines are produced here.The wines of Clos de Vougeot rose to fame when the Cistercians tended the entire vineyard and produced the wine. In producing Clos de Vougeot, the Cistercians first produced cuvée
Cuvee
Cuvée is a French wine term derived from cuve, meaning vat or tank. The term cuvée is used with several different meanings, more or less based on the concept of a tank of wine put to some purpose:...
s from the different parts of the vineyard, and then blended them to produce a high-class wine. Typically, wine from the top and middle parts would be used, and only sometimes would the bottom part be used for the final Clos de Vougeot wine. Wine from lower down the slope can be better in dry years, so this blending practice allowed the production of a wine that should have been consistent in quality.
Since the entire area inside the wall is part of the Clos de Vougeot AOC, wines from every plot of it is entitled to the grand cru designation. Wineries which only have holdings in the lower part of the vineyard are unlikely to be able to produce wine which represents typical Burgundy grand cru quality, and it is far from certain that they will be able to match many producers' premier cru wines. However, since the grand cru designation is both a matter of pride and profitability, wines are likely to be marketed as Clos de Vougeot AOC.
The best Clos de Vougeot wines, when produced in a classical style, are typically dense when young, and robust rather than elegant in style. After some ten years of cellaring, however, Clos de Vougeot wines in this style can have developed into one of the most complete Côte de Nuits wines, and be fully on par with wines from more consistent grand cru vineyards.
Some notable producers of Clos de Vougeot wine are Méo-Camuzet, Anne Gros and René Engel.
In popular culture
Clos de Vougeot 1845 was the featured wine in the film Babette's FeastBabette's Feast
Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film directed by Gabriel Axel. The film's screenplay was written by Axel based on the story by Isak Dinesen , who also wrote the story which inspired the 1985 Academy Award winning film Out of Africa...
, which is set in 1871.
"Clos Vougeot" is the preferred restorative of Miserrimus Dexter, a character in Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins
William Wilkie Collins was an English novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. He was very popular during the Victorian era and wrote 30 novels, more than 60 short stories, 14 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces...
' 1875 novel, The Law and the Lady
The Law and the Lady
The Law and the Lady was published in 1875, by Wilkie Collins, although still in print, is largely forgotten now. Not quite as sensational in style as The Moonstone and The Woman in White, it is still a detective story.-Plot summary:...
.