2017 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Domaine François Lamarche, Burgundy
About this WINE
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
The division of vineyards with Nicole's cousin Natalie is now complete, and Nicole now has under seven hectares, down from 11 hectares. The Malconsorts and Grands Echezeaux have gone but the monopole of La Grande Rue remains. Nicole Lamarche took over from her father, François, in 2006; from ’19, the domaine now carries her name.
Nicole’s style is one of a light touch; the wines aren’t deeply coloured and are sensually soft yet show wonderful intensity.
In the vineyard
Under her aegis, the vineyards have been converted to organic and biodynamic production, although certification isn’t sought. The vines are now trained higher, and leaf cover is retained. In the cellar, the barrel regime has been changed, both in the lower proportion of new oak used each year, and in the coopers that supply the barrels
In the winery
When asked for details of the winemaking process, Nicole remains steadfastly enigmatic: there’s no formula and every cuvée receives a customised élevage. However, there’s always a proportion of whole bunch on the top wines, usually around 30%.
Vougeot
Most of the wine produced in this small village comes from a single, walled Grand Cru vineyard, the famous Clos de Vougeot. The vineyard in its present form dates from 1336 (when it was first planted by monks of Cîteaux), although it was not until the following century that it was entirely enclosed by stone walls.
Clos de Vougeot is both the smallest commune and the largest Clos in the Cote d’Or. It consists of 50 hectares of vineyards shared among 82 owners, with six soil types. There is quite a difference in quality between the upper (best) and lower (least fine) parts of the vineyard, though in medieval times a blend from all sectors was considered optimum.Le Domaine de la Vougeraie makes a very fine white wine from Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, first picked out by the monks of Cîteaux as being suitable ground for white grapes in the year 1110.
- Five hectares of village Vougeot
- 12 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (four in all): Les Cras, Les Petits-Vougeots, Clos de la Perrière and Clos Blanc de Vougeot
- 51 hectares of Grand Cru vineyard – Clos de Vougeot
- Recommended producers: Domaine de la Vougeraie, Domaine Bertagna, Engel, Anne Gros, Grivot, Liger-Belair, Meo-Camuzet.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
This is from three parcels: one at the south-eastern corner of the clos by the road; another higher, close to the château; and one in the south-west corner of the clos, so covering all three terroirs. As ever under Nicole’s guidance, this is an elegant expression of Clos de Vougeot, all the while remaining true to the broader structure and more powerful tannic profile of the vineyard. Drink 2025-2034.
After the frost of 2016, Nicole feels that the worst-affected parcels struggled somewhat this year, meaning Suchots and the lower part of Clos de Vougeot are less plentiful than she had hoped. Despite this, she believes her organic viticulture is useful in making the vines more resilient. The winemaking follows the now-established pattern of around a third whole bunches across the range, with new oak reaching 50 percent for La Grande Rue. Nicole is particularly fond of the 2017 vintage, praising the wines’ energy, elegance, ripe tannins, long finishes and, above all, balance.
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