2015 Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

The 2015 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru offers up a sapid bouquet of grilled game bird, espresso roast, wild plums and dark berries. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and velvety, with real mid-palate substance, supple, melting tannins and impressive reserves of concentration and depth despite its elegant, understated profile. The finish is long, precise and succulent. From bottle, the Clos de Vougeot is one of the most promising wines from Domaine de la Vougeraie.

(from "a little parcel at the bottom of the Clos and a larger parcel across from Le Clos Blanc" [Domaine de la Vougeraie's tiny monopole not far below Les Petits Musigny], notes Vincent): Deep medium red. Subdued but pretty aromas of dark cherry, wild herbs and licorice. Broad and silky on entry, then much more dense and backward in the middle palate; the largest-scaled of the Domaine de la Vougeraie 2015s to this point but very slow to evolve. The slightly medicinal finish displays substantial dusty tannins and a strong licorice quality. Still quite reserved but very pure, spicy and long. In fact, this wine seemed to gain in power after I spit it. Vincent ranks this wine with 2014 and 2010 as his favorite vintages here for Clos Vougeot, but it will require considerable patience.

The 2015 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is yet another wine suffering a lot of reduction on the nose, though underneath there also seems to be just a touch of brettanomyces. The palate is medium-bodied but with good volume in the mouth; this feels quite fleshy, but underneath there is a solid frame. Turns toasty toward the finish, with wood tannins too prominent for my own liking, but they might be assimilated with bottle age. We will see. After a scintillating showing from barrel, you have to ask where this might be heading. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Bottled. Really lively and pure and fresh but with undertow. Most impressive. Life and density. Maybe the best Vougeot 2015 I have tasted so far. (JR)