How often do you drink a Clos de Vougeot? We haven't tasted enough ourselves unfortunately to truly identify its typicity (if that is even possible) across different producers in an appellation so crowded and diverse.
This particular bottling from Sylvain Loichet came from a plot nearer to Vosne-Romanée, with old vines approximately 70 years of age, grown on stony and clay soil. Still a bright deep ruby red, the wine was quite muted and needed some time and air before some heady, macerated cherries, cinnamon bark, earthy tones and a touch of flint appeared. Tart, darker fruits that were initially at its core gradually transformed into ripe red fruits, with light, minty tones, red plums and bitter cherry notes too. Ripe tannins with a good dose of acidity and mineral structure despite the warm vintage conditions.
We felt that the wine is a sleeping giant at the moment. Its flavours and aromas are so tightly coiled that only time can unfold. Perhaps we should try the next bottle when Singapore celebrates her 64th birthday. This may never be a mind-blowing or drool-worthy wine, but how many Clos de Vougeot in the world ever was? If you are keen to get some and stash them away in the darkest corners of your cellar until this baby comes of age, do let us know. God knows how much a bottle of Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru will cost by then eh?
