Domaine de la VOUGERAIE -- 2016 Part III: Whites Tasted from Barrel Samples

(Originally published December 2017)

See here for background information on the 2016 at Domaine de la Vougeraie.

2016 Bourgogne   Chardonnay    Terres de Famille
The main parcel for this wine is in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, but there’s also some Clos Blanc de Vougeot declassified into the wine. The nose is mineral. The minerality continues in the mouth which is firm with good acidity, length, and tension.  88/A

2016 Côte de Beaune    Les Pierres Blanches 
This wine shows good acidity and minerality with a touch of almond and good concentration. Harvested 29 September. (87-90)

2016 Savigny-les-Beaune
This wine is typical Savigny blanc with good minerality, acidity, and firmness. A normal vintage would be 24 barrels, but in 2016, alas, only two (600 bottles) barrels, from the Goardes and Vermots lieux-dits. Harvested 26 September. (87-91)

2016 Vougeot   Clos du Prieuré
From a monopole of the estate, this wine is firm, mineral, and stony, a typical Côte de Nuits white with more structure than for most of the Côte de Beaune whites. Harvested 21 September. (89-92)

2016 Puligny-Montrachet
Typical Puligny suavité here with sensuality, minerality, and clarity. This is an excellent example of village Puligny. Harvested 22 September. Although much of Puligny escaped frost damage, that was not the case here; the crop was about half the normal size. 12.5% natural alcohol. (88-92)

2016 Puligny-Montrachet    1er Cru   Champ Gain
The Puligny-Champ Gain is airy, light, mineral, and long. It is different in style from the village wine but typical of its terroir high on the hill. Harvested 28 September. Normal crop size here, as with much of Puligny. (89-92)

2016 Vougeot   1er Cru   Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot
This monopole wine is steely, intense, light, pure, penetrating, and energetic with great acidity. The wine is very individual in style and worth the effort to experience. Harvested 19, 22, 23 September. Frost damage was not bad here, and so production was about 90% of normal. Harvested at12% natural alcohol. (92-95)

2016 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
Very good minerality there with austerity and steeliness. Harvested 19 September. (92-96)

2016 Bâtard-Montrachet 
The Bâtard-Montrachet is clear and medium-light on the palate. It is less energetic than the Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and seems to need more time to come together. Harvested 27 September. About 2/3 of a normal crop here.  (91-95)

2016 Charlemagne
The Charlemagne comes from two parcels, one in the En Charlemagne lieu-dit, one in the Le Charlemagne lieu-dit. The wine is intense and steely with tension and penetrating lemon-lime fruit. Harvested 29 September. (92-96)

2016 Chevalier-Montrachet

Last, the Chevalier-Montrachet is very classic in style. The wine is austere, tightly-wound, firm, penetrating, and energetic. Harvested 27 September. About half a normal crop here. (93-96)