The 2018 Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, due for bottling at the end of April with just one or two batonnages, has a delightful bouquet with notes of citrus fruit, praline and a touch of white chocolate. The elegant palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity and moderate weight, that soupcon of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc lending a little more complexity on the finish than if it was pure Chardonnay. Very fine.Aromas of citrus, orange oil and praline waft from the glass. A light touch with new oak adds a toasty inflection to the bouquet, but more importantly adds to the rich, satiny texture. Generous flavors of apple, lemon pie and baking spice take the stage on the dense, medium-to-full bodied palate. Small percentages of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc complement the Chardonnay in this cuvee, adding to the intrigue and bringing even more complexity to the surprisingly long finish.\n \n Producer Information\n \n Domaine de la Vougeraie is an estate created through the amalgamation of several vineyard holdings acquired by the Boisset family in Burgundy's Côte d'Or. It is one of the newer domaines in Burgundy, with the first vintage being 1999. Today, holdings cover nearly 40 hectares (98 acres) in 30 different appellations throughout the region. The winery itself is located in the village of Premeaux which is situated between the Pinot Noir-dominated Côte de Nuits and the Chardonnay-dominant Côte de Beaune. Domaine de la Vougeraie has plots in six grand cru, eight premier cru and 11 village appellations. The grand cru plots are in Charmes-Chambertin, Bonnes Mares, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Corton le Clos de Roi and Corton Charlemagne. Domaine de la Vougeraie also has a monopole over the Vougeot premier cru climat Les Clos Blanc de Vougeot. This small site, which sits adjacent to Clos de Vougeot and is surrounded by Pinot Noir vineyards on all sides, makes some of the most sought-after white wines in Burgundy. It is planted with Chardonnay and very small amounts of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, atop soils of white clay and silt. The domaine's Chardonnay grapes go through a soft press before being fermented in mostly neutral French oak barrels. The grand cru Corton-Charlemagne Le Charlemagne is typically aged in around 50 percent new oak, whereas wines at village level usually have a much lower percentage of new oak. The Pinot Noir grapes are fermented with native yeasts and are then aged in French oak, usually for between 12 and 18 months. Once the wines have completed their barrel age they are softly pumped into stainless steel tanks where they are blended and allowed to rest. The wines are then bottled without filtration or fining.
