Comte Georges de VOGUE -- 2013s from Cask

 Domaine Comte Georges de VOGUE (Chambolle-Musigny)

De Vogüé’s wines had fallen a bit from favor among many Burgundy fans in recent years – unjustly so in my opinion. They are ravishing from cask, but close up very quickly and for quite a long period. One just needs to wait, but in the end, I am quite confident that the patience will be rewarded.

2013s from Cask

Technical director François Millet said that because of the botrytis that developed from the early autumn storms, the estate did not wait to pick, and so began harvesting on October 5, finishing on October 13. 1987 was the last harvest to be so late. Yields were but 10-15 hl/ha. – in no small part due to the thick skins and small berries that gave little juice. As always here, the grapes were entirely destemmed. Malolactic fermentations finished in July and August.

2013 Chambolle-Musigny

The Chambolle shows dark fruit with freshness despite the almost-confectionary quality of the fruit. The wine is smooth, round, sensual, and full. (90-93)

2013 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

Although de Vogüé has holdings in premier cru vineyards, those grapes go into the Chambolle village cuvée, and this wine is made exclusively from Musigny vines less than 25 years old. The nose here is floral. The mouth is smooth, calm, and velvety with very ripe, long fruit. This wine tastes quite young, perhaps reflecting the late malo here (finished in August). (91-95)

2013 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru – Les Amoureuses

Some pomegranate fruit shows in the nose, but largely, the nose is closed. The mouth shows minerality and is darker in its fruit (berries, and especially blackberry) than Amoureuses usually is. The wine is very light on the palate and shows great finesse. (93-96)

2013 Bonnes-Mares

I’m not sure if it is because my palate has been changing or because the wine has been improving, but the last several years I have appreciated de Vogüé’s Bonnes-Mares more than I would have expected, given its position at the southeast corner of the vineyard. This particular location gives wines of greater finesse than those further north. The floral nose is followed by more body than usual, but still with great finesse and with the smoothness of the vintage. The fruit is dark berry with a little cherry, and it is crystalline and with great length and freshness. (94-97)

2013 Musigny    vieilles vignes

The Musigny is full, elegant, dark, and very young, just like the 1er Cru, but there is just so much more material here. The wine shows strong blackberry fruit for the moment and is dominated by the minerality. This is a 2013 that will take patience (as is generally true for Musigny and for wines from de Vogüé), but there will be a great payoff at the end. (95-98)