In the heart of the Côte de Nuits, where stone surfaces and captures the light, the Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras 2022 from the Domaine de la Vougeraie stands as a masterful interpretation of Pinot Noir. From a climat renowned for its chalky, stony soils bordering the north wall of the legendary Clos de Vougeot, this wine marries intensity and purity with an almost musical grace. Biodynamic farming, practised with conviction by the domaine, gives the fruit a vibrant energy, precise aromatics and a velvety texture that reflect a patient, artisanal respect for the vine. Aimed at aesthetes who favour harmony over showmanship, this 1er Cru answers a precise quest: a Burgundy red that combines flavour concentration, fine tannins and saline length. At the table it creates a generous dialogue with subtle dishes. In the cellar it promises a nuanced evolution where floral, spice and mineral notes align in a slow ascent of complexity. The 2022 vintage, luminous and balanced, brings exact ripeness, a clear fruit brightness and firm freshness, ensuring a direct reading of the site. Each sip seems to draw a clear line from the first scent to the finish, like a charcoal stroke on silk paper.

Assemblage et vinification

As a pure expression of the Côte de Nuits’ flagship grape, this wine is made exclusively from Pinot Noir sourced from the Les Cras climat, a stony terroir that imprints its mineral signature on the wine. The practice of biodynamics, careful observation of cycles, strict yield control and hand-harvesting achieve precise ripeness without forfeiting tension. In the cellar, the expertise of the Domaine de la Vougeraie is expressed through meticulous vinification that prioritises fruit integrity and gentle extraction. The berries, sorted with the precision of a goldsmith, deliver a pure material, suited to restrained barrel ageing designed to set the structure without weighing it down. Here there is no flashy use of wood, but a finely chiselled accompaniment that allows the site’s identity to speak, its chalky grain, verticality and that mentholated freshness often associated with accomplished vintages. The result is a fragile and sumptuous balance, where density is adorned with a filigree of fine spices and floral inflections, like a score performed with accuracy and restraint.

Notes de dégustation

• Robe : Bright ruby with cherry highlights, clear and deep, announcing an elegant concentration and vivid youth.
• Nez : Airy bouquet of fresh red fruits, Morello cherry, raspberry, lifted by peony, dried rose and delicate spices, a hint of liquorice and a chalky thrust evoking warm stone after rain.
• Bouche : Silky attack, juicy mid-palate, finely chiselled tannins, saline uprightness and vibrant length. The whole combines finesse, energy and a savoury persistence that calls for food.

Température de service et conseils

Serve between 15 et 16°C in a tulip-shaped glass to reveal the grace of the aromas and the chalky texture so characteristic of the Les Cras climat. A gentle aeration, 30 to 60 minutes before serving, helps open the bouquet to its floral nuances and finest spices. Young, this 1er Cru is already precise and attractive, but it gains depth after a few years in the cellar, stored away from light at around 12 and 14°C with stable humidity. Depending on your preference, you can favour the lace-like fruit in its early youth, or the patinated complexity of undergrowth, infusion and truffle notes over time. Avoid serving at too high a temperature which enhances alcohol and mutes freshness, as the elegance of this wine is all about subtlety.

Accords mets et vin

• Entrées sophistiquées : free-range poultry ballotine, fine consommé jelly, delicate pickles that converse with the mineral backbone.
• Plats : pink-roasted veal loin, herb-reduced jus, brown mushroom risotto, roast squab with a short jus, roasted beetroot.
• Terre et champignons : cappellacci with porcini, robust sauce, a thread of black truffle oil, a pairing that magnifies sap and tannin finesse.
• Fromages : aged Comté, Jurassian tomme, lightly aged Brillat-Savarin to preserve balance and aromatic delicacy.
• Inspiration bourguignonne : simply seared piece of beef, Pinot Noir jus, glazed turnips, a restrained, terroir-driven intensity.

Moments de dégustation

The Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras 2022 is the ideal companion for:

• For a fine dining table where one seeks a common thread of precision, elegance and depth.
• As a cellar selection intended to evolve gracefully, revealing season after season notes of infusion and wet stone.
• As a connoisseur’s gift to celebrate the art of refined French living, discreet, memorable and intensely tasteful.

Caractéristiques

• Nom : Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras 2022, Domaine de la Vougeraie
• Appellation : Vougeot 1er Cru AOC
• Type : Red wine, Pinot Noir
• Millésime : 2022
• Cépage : Pinot Noir (100%)
• Degré d’alcool : non communiqué
• Vieillissement : careful barrel ageing, proportion adjusted according to the vintage
• Contenance : 75 cl
• Garde : several years in the cellar, depending on conditions and preferences
• Température de service : 15–16°C