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Wine Description
The Story
A selection of Pinot Noir fruit from villages vineyard ‘Les Porlottes,’ and older-vine, “declassified” fruit from premier crus ‘Les Baudes’ and ‘Les Fuées.’ Ripe raspberries, white peaches, colored peppers.
Background:
With more than 500 years of history and the lion’s share of one of Burgundy’s most hallowed grand crus, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé is a cornerstone of Burgundian legend and a vinous dream for modern connoisseurs.
Certainly the greatest estate in Chambolle-Musigny if not in greater Burgundy, de Vogüé for 20 generations has been steward of the village’s top terroirs. The estate owns some 80 percent of grand cru Le Musigny, and a significant portion of grand cru Bonnes-Mares. Its premier cru Chambolle-Musigny is crafted exclusively from younger-vine fruit in Musigny; its Bourgogne Blanc is crafted from younger-vine Chardonnay grown also in Musigny (which may soon be born again as a Musigny Blanc).
The style of de Vogüé is the epitome of Chambolle—delicate aromas, refined yet profound flavors, a finish made of silk. These are wines that come into their own not ten years down the line but 30; a cellar without a selection of de Vogüé is a cellar missing the soul of Burgundy.
Vineyards are cared for essentially according to organic principles, although the estate is not certified. Beneficial herbs are planted between vineyard rows to control pests; vineyards are plowed by horse; the estate makes its own organic compost.
Winemaker François Millet does not follow a set formula in making his wines, preferring vintage conditions and the fruit of the vine to dictate what’s needed. Grapes more often than not are destemmed and then fermented on indigenous yeasts in large wooden vats. Very little sulfur is added during fermentation or at bottling.
In general, village wines are aged in 15 percent new French oak barrels, while grand cru wines see no more than 35 percent new oak. Wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Vintage 1993
In Burgundy 1993, an early flowering in the month of June, was followed by a wet early July before a hot dry August. The reds of 1993 are outstanding. They are powerful and concentrated with a firm backbone of ripe tannins. The whites although austere to begin with and slow to evolve have developed into magnificent well structured, powerful wines. A vintage that produced wines built for ageing.
Once again, expectations were high in Burgundy for the 1993 harvest. The flowering was as early as that of 1990 (from 6-11 June) and August was very hot and dry . Despite the bad weather during the second half of June and first ten days of July, with rain and notably hail in the Meurault 1er Cru vineyards of Genevrères, Charmes and Perrières. Burgundy was looking forward to an early harvest of high quality.
The 'ban des vendanges' was set for the 15th September in the Côte de Beaune and 17th in the Côte de Nuits.
As has so often been the case, it was extremely important to undertake a crop thinning in 1993; for those domaines which did not, yields were high and sugar levels mediocre.
The intensity of colour in the red wine and a correct balance between acidity and tannins allow us to hope for wines of an above average quality. The vineyard which were harvested before the rains are particularly rich and elegant. Fortunately, the small berry size of the grapes meant a greater resistance to grey rot which could so easily have been a problem, with the wet weather.
For the whites, the deterioration of the weather in the Côte d'Or prevented the Chardonnay grape from reaching perfect maturity but the wines will nonetheless be pleasant.
