Comte Georges de Vogüé

Comte Georges de Vogüé

Region of production: Côte de Nuits

Winery Location: Chambolle-Musigny

Year Established: 1450

Summary: Comte Georges de Vogüé is one of the most important domaines in Chambolle-Musigny, owning nearly 65% of the Musigny Grand Cru. While the Roumier family acted as régisseur for the domaine for three generations, today it is run by winemaker Francois Millet, chef de culture Eric Bourgogne and commercial director Jean-Luc Pépin. Present-day owners Claire de Causans and Marie de Ladoucette are Comte Georges de Vogüé’s granddaughters, and they put the winery team together in 1986 with the intention of returning the domaine to the list of Burgundy’s elite (following some lackluster vintages in the 1970s and 1980s). Vineyards are plowed, weed-killers are not used, and chemical fertilizers are avoided as well. Yields are kept low through severe pruning, early bud removal in the spring, and green-harvesting if necessary. The domaine is usually one of the first to begin picking in Chambolle due to their low yields and desire to avoid even a trace of over-ripeness.

Key Vineyard Holdings: 12.4 ha total

• Musigny Grand Cru: 6.5 ha Pinot Noir, planted from 1953-2007; 0.66 ha Chardonnay, planted from 1986-1997
• Bonnes Mares Grand Cru: 2.6 ha Pinot Noir, planted from 1945-1995
• Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses Premier Cru: 0.56 ha Pinot Noir, planted from 1964-1980
• Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées: 0.14 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1959
• Chambolle-Musigny Les Baudes: 0.13 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1950

Average Total Production: 2,700 cases

Top Wines Produced:

• Musigny “Vieilles Vignes” Grand Cru
• Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
• Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses Premier Cru
• Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru: from the young Pinot Noir vines in Musigny
• Chambolle-Musigny: from the small holdings in Les Fuées and Les Baudes
• Bourgogne Blanc: from the Chardonnay in Musigny

Inaugural Vintages: Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru in 1995

Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Vogüé wines are never flashy or extroverted in youth, instead requiring time to open and show their charms—especially the Musigny. After a careful sorting in the vineyard, the red grapes are completely de-stemmed prior to fermentation in wooden vats. Fermentation starts without inoculation, and pigeage is performed at varying frequency depending on the status of each tank—the goal is to avoid extracting too much tannin. The domaine uses a limited amount of new oak: up to 15% new for the village-level wine, 20-30% for premiers crus and 35-40% for thegrands crus. After 18 months in oak, the reds are fined and filtered prior to bottling. The white wine is entirely barrel-fermented in 20% new barrels. The age of the Chardonnay vines in Musigny is nearing a point where the domaine is considering—for the first time since 1993—bestowing the grand cru appellation on the wine.

Importer Website:

http://www.dreyfusashby.com/family.php?id=21

http://www.chamberswines.com/producer.php?prodid=CDV