VOUGEOT ROUGE CLOS DE LA PERRIÈR 1er CRU MONOPOLE

Background

The historic Domaine Bertagna once belonged to the Cistercian monks, famous for founding the Clos de Vougeot in the 13th century. The estate’s cellars and vineyards are located in the heart of the village nearby the Château and its ancient Chapter House. The winery has been owned by the world-renowned Reh family since 1982 and since 1988 has been managed by Eva Reh-Siddle.
With 18 diverse climats across the region, comprising a total of over 42 acres, five of which are Grand Crus and seven are Premier Crus. Bertagna is among the top ranking Domaines in Burgundy. A desire for perfection and emphasis on quality, coupled with significant investments in technology and vineyard management, result in some of the region’s most compelling wines. Domaine Bertagna is perhaps best known for its elegant, silky red wines, but it also produces one of the world’s rarest white wines – Vougeot 1er Cru Blanc “Les Cras” from the Côtes de Nuits.

Winemaking

Between the Grands Crus Clos de Vougeot and Musigny, the monopole Clos de la Perriere is a vineyard of historic significance. Well drained and stony limestone soils are complemented by rich
mineral clay deposits with vines reaching 86 years old. After strict pruning and a mid-season green harvest to control yields, the grapes are hand-picked in small boxes with hand-sorting at the vineyard and the winery to ensure only the finest grapes. Prefermentation cold maceration is followed by alcoholic fermentation at 82°F, with malolactic fermentation in barrels. Only natural yeast from the grapes is used, the wine is manually punched down and left to ferment in tanks for 21 to 28 days. The wine is aged in French oak barrels (50% new oak) for 15 to 18 months.

Tasting Notes

While elegant and subtle it also expresses beautiful complexity. Often truffle or tobacco notes and always very spicy. While young, this wine has floral aromas, but with age, has hints of toasted almonds and coffee to complement its red/black fruits. This wine is a good companion for salmon, tuna, duck, lamb, leafy greens, roasted vegetables, and semi-soft cheese.