DOMAINE COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ 2019 VINTAGE EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
"Wines of finesse, but wines of finesse with very solid constitutions supporting them." FRANÇOIS MILLET, JANUARY 2021
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DOMAINE COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ “Remarkable vitality… this feeling of serenity and calm.” JEAN-LUC PÉPIN, FEBRUARY 2021
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Serenity and calm – commodities in short supply of late. Although we can’t wait to get back to tasting wines in situ, one of the few joys of lockdown has been receiving samples from what increasingly feel like faraway lands. Emissaries of serenity and calm, unfolding from couriered bottles like old friends. This seemed especially true of the 2019s from Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, which shone as never before, just the shot of vinous vitality we needed in Corona-shy Thomas More Street in February. Established in 1450, the domaine is owned today by Comtesse Claire de Causans and Marie de Ladoucette, descendants of the late Comte, who died in 1987. It is run
by François Millet (Technical Director), Eric Bourgogne (Vineyard Manager) and Jean-Luc Pépin (Commercial Director), a now legendary trio with over 90 years’ combined experience here. The domaine owns some two thirds of the Musigny Grand Cru vineyard, binding inextricably the names Comte Georges de Vogüé and Musigny. Its other grand cru is Bonnes-Mares, the geographical outlier at the northern end of the village, close to Clos de Tart. Even by its own high standards, Bonnes-Mares has outdone itself in 2019. We are proud to have been the exclusive UK agent of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé from the 2003 vintage.
GUY SEDDON March 2021
A 21 GENERATION STORY In the 15th century, Jean Moisson, a wealthy Burgundian, began to acquire vineyards and started construction of the current domaine buildings, as well as the nearby church of Chambolle-Musigny. Several artworks in the church depict members of the Moisson family, ancestors of Comte Georges de Vogüé. The Vogüé name was first recorded in Burgundy in 1766, when Catherine Bouhier de Versalieu married Cerice François Melchior de Vogüé, originally from the Ardèche, where there is still a commune named Vogüé.
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Keeping the domaine in family ownership through the French Revolution of 1789 cannot have been easy. Certainly the domaine stands out as one of the few which managed this.
THE DOMAINE TODAY In 1925, Comte Georges de Vogüé inherited the vineyards from his father Comte Arthur de Vogüé, since when the domaine has been known as Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé. Comte Georges’ daughter, Elizabeth de Vogüé, married Baron Bertrand de Ladoucette. The couple had two daughters, Claire and Marie de Ladoucette, the current owners of the domaine. Comte Georges de Vogüé died in 1987. In 2002, Claire and Marie de Ladoucette, following the death of their mother, inherited the vineyards and became comanagers of the domaine. Winemaker François Millet has worked at the domaine since 1986. He was joined two years later by Commercial Director Jean-Luc Pépin and in 1996 by Vineyard Manager Eric Bourgogne.
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THE 2019 VINTAGE AT DOMAINE COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ Many thanks to Jean-Luc Pépin for providing a detailed overview of the 2019 growing season at the domaine.
January 2019 was mild and bright, causing the sap to start flowing early. Jean-Luc described February as summery – dry and with high pressure, with temperatures more commonly seen in April, May and June. Cooler, more seasonal temperatures returned in March, along with showers and light frosts. By month end, bud burst was nearly ten days ahead of average. The water deficit for the first quarter of the year was over 30%. Hoarfrost (frozen dew) from 5th April fortunately did little damage, but in contrast to 2018, the lower temperatures slowed the season’s precocious development. The harmful effects of a frost on 14th April were warded off by burning straw (plus a fortunate northerly wind and dry conditions). Cool weather continued until the end of the month, further slowing vineyard growth. May began with near-freezing temperatures, not seen since 1997. These gradually increased from the 21st, allowing growth to resume. The first sustained wave of flowering occurred amid a short warmer respite at the end of May and beginning of June. Described by Jean-Luc as particularly even across the domaine’s plots and grape varieties, this boded well. However, a cooler period followed, slowing the later stages of flowering, with rain subsequently causing coulure (where berries do not develop from flowers) and millerandage (small, thick skinned berries, rich in phenolic content). A second wave of “rapid and intense flowering” from 14th June, which accelerated under summer temperatures from the 17th, further sealed the quality of the crop (if not its quantity). At this point, as Jean-Luc relates, you could smell the flowers in the vineyards.
By the end of June, scorching temperatures were causing some grilling (échaudage) of the berries and the first signs of water stress were observed in early July. This settled into a period of summer-like, though not excessive, temperatures for the first three weeks of July, before the heat cranked up again at month end. Along with a drop in humidity, this caused numerous instances of scorching across the domaine’s holdings, further reducing the crop. For the first time since 1998, the domaine did not carry out a green harvest, the combination of flowering conditions and summer heat having done the job naturally. Véraison (colour change) started on 22nd July, pausing at month end and then resuming amid the heat of early August. Other than a few showers in the first half of the month, drought conditions continued throughout August. By the end of the month, although the domaine’s vineyards found themselves at varied stages of development, their health was universally excellent. September continued fine and with high pressure. A slight drop in temperature occasioned by a north-northeast wind and cooler nights boosted the maturity of the Pinot Noir. Jean-Luc recalled tasting the berries on 2nd September, finding dark brown pips and sweet, juicy pulp, with crisp acidity. Harvest started on Saturday 14th September and finished on Thursday 19th, under ideal weather conditions. The health of the grapes was exemplary, François Millet commenting, “we were able to pick quickly because the fruit was so clean.” Sorting was limited to a meticulous removal of ‘sun-grilled’ berries. The skins were relatively thick, resulting in a very high ‘solid to liquid ratio’. The combined effect is that 2019's yields are lower than those of 2018. As in 2018, François Millet did no punching down (pigeage) at all, except for the Bonnes-Mares.
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2019 VINTAGE TASTING NOTES
MUSIGNY BLANC GRAND CRU
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1ER CRU
The Musigny Blanc was not yet ready to taste with the others in February. Once again, therefore, here is JeanLuc Pépin’s tasting note which he kindly emailed to us (I rather liked that he described it in passing as “our secret gem”)…
Entitled to grand cru status but, being made from the dwindling proportion of Musigny’s young vines (10-25+ years old), this is voluntarily demoted to a premier cru. Darker and more brooding on the nose than the village Chambolle, blackberry and reticent wild strawberry notes vying with dark spices and stony minerality. Cool, dark-hued and unswervingly focused on the entry, the palate slowly unwinds to reveal a filigree-fine tannic structure and resonant, insistently ripe berry and bitter cherry fruit. Such poise, which is sustained through to a long, precise finish.
A wine of great mineral freshness, displaying a harmonious balance between minerality, clarity and jelly fruit pear sweetness. A lot of brightness, very floral, elegant and ethereal. Like the reds in this vintage, there’s absolutely no sign in the wine’s expression of the heat and drought we had during the 2019 season. Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2032 £750/Case of 1 bottle, in bond UK
Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2036+ £725/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £495/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1ER CRU LES AMOUREUSES
This comes from two premiers crus – Les Baudes (0.13 hectares) and Les Fuées (0.15ha) – plus 1.8ha of villages vines, in Les Porlottes, Les Jutruots and La Taupe. These last three are clustered together, to the south of the village. A delightfully aromatic nose of raspberries, roses and violets. The palate is seductively pliant on the entry, fleshy and substantial on the mid-palate, with a cool core of blackberry and wild strawberry, and dark flinty minerality. Red berry perfume lingers tantalisingly on the finish. Very elegant, very true to the finesse of Chambolle-Musigny.
Ah, Amoureuses – everyone’s desert island premier cru. Most of the domaine’s 0.56 hectares are in one parcel (planted 1964) at the southern end of this nearly pure limestone vineyard, with a smaller plot to the north (planted 1974). As hoped, this is an aromatic delight, violets, rose petals, lavender, bitter cherries and pure red berries weaving their perfumed magic. The palate is finely, intricately textured and, buoyed on a pillow of fresh acidity, the delicate raspberry and strawberry flavours dance. One of those rare wines whose aromas seep into the palate, the senses of smell and taste seemingly interchangeable. As the fruit recedes, a trace of chalky minerality remains, a friable grip across the palate.
Corney & Barrow Score 18 - 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2034 £500/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £345/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 - 19 Recommended drinking from 2029 - 2039 £600/Case of 1 bottle, in bond UK
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BONNES-MARES GRAND CRU
MUSIGNY VIEILLES VIGNES GRAND CRU
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé's holding in BonnesMares is a 2.66 hectare plot in the southern part of the vineyard
The domaine owns 7.12 hectares of Musigny’s total 10.85. This wine comes from 5.88 hectares (the rest going into the Chambolle 1er Cru and the Musigny Blanc).
A deeper purple colour here announces that we have moved to the other end of the village – a place of woods and mountains, in winemaker François Millet’s evocative phrase. Forest fruits, heather and bramble on the nose, with plums, sweet spices and a dark cherried insistence. The palate is explosive – violet hued, fruit-laden, with a velvety sucrosity. Red and bitter cherry, blueberry, raspberry and liquorice are framed by powerful yet supple tannins. If Amoureuses is coy and enigmatic, Bonnes-Mares is a heart-on-sleeve extrovert. A wine of phenomenal drive and momentum.
Bright, intense ruby colour. The aromas are firmly in the red fruit spectrum – raspberry and wild strawberry – yet there nothing showy here, just a cool focus and a hint of sweet spice at first, with black pepper and rocky minerality emerging behind. The palate is quite the reverse, a majestic blossoming of summer roses and raspberries, both sweetly fruited and with cut glass definition. Startling luminescence, with a transparency of fruit which draws you right into its core. Finely sculpted tannins work hand in hand with chalky minerality. A wine with a long, graceful life ahead and a reference point for one of Burgundy’s greatest vineyards.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5+ Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037+
Corney & Barrow Score 19 Recommended drinking from 2033 - 2043
£1,400/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £945/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
£2,125/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £1,430/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
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Tasting Guide Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score.
Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.
cr u s
To Morey-Saint-Denis
Rou te d e
s gra nds
N LES BONNES MARES LES VÉROILLES
LES DRAZEY
LES LAVROTTES
LES FUÉES
LES FREMIÊRES
LES NOIROTS
LES FUÉES
LES GAMAIRES
LES BUSSIÈRES
LES BAUDES
2019
LES CRAS
To Dijon RN74
LES SENTIERS
LES HERBUES
LES CHARDANNES
AUX BEAUX LES BRUNS GROSEILLES
LES CRAS
LES ATHETS
AUX ECHANGES
LES CHATELOTS
AUX COMBOTTES
AUX CROIX LES MALADIÈRES
LES PLANTES LES CLOS
LES FEUSELOTTES DERNERES LE FOUR
LES JUTRUOTS
LES ECHÉZEAUX LES GOÉRIPPES
LES PORLOTTES LA TAUPE
LES CREUXBAISSANTS
LES PAS DE CHAT LES CHARMES LES FOUCHÈRES
LES ARGILLERES
LES DANGUERRINS
LES MOMBIERS
LES CLOS DE I’OME
LES CHARMES
LES BORNIQUES
LES MAI CARRÉES
LES SORDES
LES BARBILLÈRES LES CONDEMENNES LES NAZOIRES
LES CHABIOTS LES AMOUREUSES
LES MUSIGNY
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To Citeaux
2019 To Beaune LES PETITS MUSIGNY
LA TAUPE
To N uits-Saint-Georges
2019
LA COMBE D’ORVEAU
LA COMBE D’ORVEAU 500m
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Vineyard Holdings 2019 Vintage
Average Age of Vines
2019 Production (doz)
Yield (hectolitres per hectare)
Vineyard Holdings (hectares)
Musigny Blanc Grand Cru
25 years
159
22.02
0.65
Chambolle-Musigny
40 years
415
17.87
2.09
including Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
62/53 years (Les Baudes/Les Fuées)
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
20 years
328
50.03
0.59
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
40 years
95
15.27
0.56
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
43 years
550
18.61
2.66
Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
46 years
1175
18.23
5.88
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THE ALLOCATION PROCESS We are often asked by customers for guidance on the quantities they should order. All of the domaine’s wines are allocated. Our suggestion is that you simply order what you would ideally like to receive. To order, please call or email your usual sales contact.
• The domaine’s and Corney & Barrow’s focus is on the private customer and as a consumer rather than a speculator. • The domaine’s wines are bought on the clear understanding that they will be stored and delivered in the UK only. • Should you wish to sell the wine in the future, do please offer Corney & Barrow first refusal as this will ensure the integrity of secondary market distribution, something which is of great concern to the domaine. • Priority will be given to the domaine’s and Corney & Barrow’s best, most loyal and most regular customers. • We will do our best to accommodate newer customers. To help in this, we have a range of older vintages in stock to help begin a collection. • May we please have your order by Thursday 18th March. • Allocations will be completed by Friday 26th March. Confirmation of order will be through receipt of invoice and the wines will be delivered or put into your reserve on payment. • As outlined, all orders are conditional upon UK storage only. • May we please request that invoices are paid in full by Wednesday 28th April. In all fairness, we reserve the right to re-allocate your order to other customers on the waiting list if payment is not received by this time. • Do please speak to our sales team, who will be delighted to help you further.
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RECOMMENDED DRINKING DATES We are regularly asked for more specific drinking dates for Burgundies, in particular from the great domaines. Here, therefore, are specific recommendations on every vintage since and including 2003 when we took on UK representation for Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé. For your interest and reference we have included our original recommendations made at the launch of the new vintages. Of course taste is an extremely personal thing, but having tasted and analysed these wines extensively over the last few years, we believe that opening them at the dates indicated will ensure maximum enjoyment.
REVISED DRINKING DATES
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* Musigny Blanc
ChambolleMusigny
ChambolleMusigny 1er Cru
ChambolleMusigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
2003
Now
Now
Now
Now
Now
Now
2004
Now
Now
Now
Now
Now
See below
2005
Now
Now
Now
Now
Now - 2022
See below
2006
Now
Now
Now
See below
Now - 2022
See below
2007
Now
Now
Now
See below
See below
See below
2008
Now
Now
Now
Now - 2022
See below
See below
2009
Now
Now
See below
See below
See below
See below
2010
Now
Now - 2025
See below
See below
See below
See below
2011
Now - 2022
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2012
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2013
Now - 2023
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2014
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2015
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2016
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2017
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
2018
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
See below
ORIGINAL DRINKING DATES
* Musigny Blanc
ChambolleMusigny
ChambolleMusigny 1er Cru
ChambolleMusigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
2003
From 2008
From 2009
Now - 2009
From 2010
From 2014
Now - 2015
2004
2010 - 2013
2009 - 2011
2011 - 2015
2013 - 2016
2015 - 2020
2017 - 2021
2005
2009 - 2015
2012 - 2015+
2012 - 2017+
2013 - 2018+
2015 - 2020+
2018 - 2025
2006
2009 - 2014
2011 - 2014
2011 - 2017
2013 - 2020
2015 - 2020+
2017 - 2025
2007
2011 - 2015
2010 - 2012
2013 - 2016+
2016 - 2025
2015 - 2025
2015 - 2025
2008
2012 - 2016
2014 - 2018
2016 - 2020
2018 - 2020
2017 - 2022
2020 - 2030
2009
2013 - 2020
2014 - 2020
2018 - 2025
2019 - 2025+
2022 - 2025
2022 - 2030+
2010
2015 - 2020+
2016 - 2024
2015 - 2028
2020 - 2025
2022 - 2030
2022 - 2032+
2011
2016 - 2021+
2017 - 2025
2016 - 2030
2020 - 2026
2023 - 2030+
2022 - 2033
2012
2017 - 2022
2018 - 2026
2018 - 2030
2021 - 2030
2020 - 2035
2024 - 2040
2013
2017 - 2021
2017 - 2025
2017 - 2027
2019 - 2028+
2020 - 2030+
2025 - 2035
2014
2017 - 2023
2018 - 2026
2018 - 2030
2019 - 2028+
2025 - 2035+
2016 - 2035+
2015
2018 - 2024
2019 - 2027+
2019 - 2030+
2020 - 2030+
2020 - 2036+
2027 - 2037+
2016
2018 - 2024
2021 - 2030
2022 - 2030+
2027 - 2035+
2030 - 2040
2030 - 2040+
2017
2019 - 2025
2022 - 2030
2023 - 2030+
2027 - 2034+
2025 - 2035+
2030 - 2040+
2018
2021 - 2031
2023 - 2032
2024 - 2032+
2028 - 2035+
2026 - 2036+
2032 - 2042+
* Bourgogne Blanc pre-2015
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CONTACT US
LONDON 1 Thomas More Street London E1W 1YZ T +44 (0)20 7265 2400 sales@corneyandbarrow.com
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