Domaine de la Vougeraie, based in Premeaux just south of Nuits St Georges, was created in 1999 when Jean-Claude Boisset of the Boisset group decided to group together all the vineyard holdings of his various negociant companies acquired over the years. The name comes from the significant holdings – and indeed Jean-Claude Boisset’s home – in the village of Vougeot. The winery is located however in the old Claudine Deschamps (Madame Jean-Claude Boisset) cellars in Prémeaux. The Domaine was put together from the various vineyard holdings which had accrued through the Boisset acquisitions of Burgundian houses over the years. Pascal Marchand was put in charge in 1999, with Bernard Zito in the vineyards, which were farmed biodynamically. Pascal produced powerful wines, fairly heavily extracted in his early vintages but clearly was subsequently moving to a softer approach by 2004
The small parcel of Les Grèves, planted in 1978, covers the central part of the hillside overlooking Beaune, at an altitude of 250 m. The name Les Grèves comes from the Latin for gravel, as the soil is highly calcareous here, ideal for the delicacy of the noblest of Beaune’s Premier Cru.
Fine fresh purple. The Beaune Grèves has a heavenly nose, with very pure clean cherry and fresh strawberry. Here the whole bunch proportion (45%) feels exactly right, contributing to the finesse. This is in Domaine de la Vougeraie’s deliberately elegant and charming style, very fine.
2019 Beaune "Les Grèves": (45% whole clusters). Once again there is an abundance of earth character to the very deeply pitched and layered nose that blends notes of tobacco, humus, game, and violet with those of a variety of dark berries. The powerful, serious, and palate-coating flavours possess very fine size, weight, and concentration while exhibiting excellent length on the robust and dusty finish. This is potentially outstanding, but patience will be required.