Before national lockdowns and travel restrictions tightened, our Head of Fine Wine Lukasz Kolodziejczyk managed to spend a few weeks in Burgundy last year and is one of a small group of professionals to have firsthand and on field experience of the vintage. Over the coming weeks we will be putting a spotlight on top Burgundy producers and highlights from Lukasz’s trip to the Cote d’Or. This is the second profile of our Burgundy spotlight series featuring Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé - Burgundy 2019 En Primeur Producer Profile
Location, location, location - Domaine Comte de Vogue boasts some of the best vineyard sites in all of Burgundy. Among its 12.5 hectares of vines, primarily in Chambolle-Musigny, de Vogüé has 7.2 hectares within Musigny grand cru, making it the owner of 70% of this prestigious Burgundy location.
The Musigny vineyard is an exciting source of pinot noir, producing wines with intensity and alluring velvety textures. Musigny is also the only Cote de Nuits grand cru that produces whites alongside reds.
Domaine de Vogüé also owns 2.7 hectares in the Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru and 0.5 hectares in Les Amoureuses, most people’s answer to the top premier cru in Chambolle-Musigny. Add in another 2.1 hectares of premier cru and village vineyards in the Chambolle-Musigny appellation, and de Vogüé can please some of the most discerning Burgundy aficionados.
The de Vogüé family’s prestige is well established, with roots going back more than 500 years and more than 20 generations having worked on the Domaine. The 20th century chapter began with Georges de Vogüé, who was head winemaker from 1925 until his death in 1987. Since then, it has been Georges’ only daughter, Elisabeth, and her daughters, who have taken the helm and brought the wines of this relatively small estate to global prominence.
The quality of today’s wines stems from the prime vineyard parcels as well as the teamwork exhibited by winemaker Francois Millet, vineyard manager Eric Bourgogne and commercial director Jean Luc Pépin, who have worked together for well over two decades.
The team’s expertise has helped de Vogüé wines reach new levels of quality despite the changing climatic conditions in recent years. Both the 2018 and 2019 vintages featured above-average temperatures and dry spells. However, Neal Martin from Vinous granted 97-99 points to de Vogüé’s 2018 Musigny Grand Cru, matching the highest barrel score ever given by Vinous.
Such praise means that Domaine de Vogüé pulls in strong demand from far and wide. Buyers are willing to pay a premium for quality as reflected in a price tag of £1,200 per bottle of the 2005 vintage. The wines can also deliver impressive appreciation, with a 42% return over the last five years across all Musigny grand cru vintages. Domaine Comte de Vogüé’s prestige is still growing so ongoing appreciation is likely, which is why we believe it is an essential part of any wine portfolio.
Cult Wines’ opinion
Our Head of Fine Wine Lukasz Kolodziejczyk was fortunate to try de Vogüé’s 2019 wines, which exhibit finesse and precision despite the warm growing conditions. Here are Lukasz’s tasting notes:
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny 2019
92-93pts
The aromas are expressive and rustic, exuding flavours of dark cherries in liquor alongside plums, raspberries, violets and damp earth. The spiced palate has a lean, mineral core.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 2019
92-93pts
The nose is full of forest berries and red cherries that are seasoned with earth, dry flowers and smoke. In the mouth, the wine has a compact mineral core with a lasting savoury intensity leading to a refreshing ending.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2019
94-95pts
The ripeness of the fruit meant extraction was done primarily by pumping over with only one pigéage. The aromas are expressive and forward with wild cherries, red plums, raspberries violets and spices such as red pepper and rich mineral soil. The wine has a long and slender structure with an savoury mineral richness.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2019
93-94pts
A deep and mineral nose mixes in red cherries, raspberry compote, roasted espresso, wildflowers, and pomegranates. The mouth has a rich texture with a very long savoury and dense structure that is harmonised by the compact mineral raciness.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Chambolle-Musigny Musigny Grand Cru 2019
96-97pts
Le Musigny is made with destemmed fruit and aged in 30% new oak. The nose features dark cherries, raspberries, strawberry compote alongside notes of smoke and wildflowers. The mouth has impressive depth and mineral acidity, which is extremely silky and pure.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Blanc Grand Cru 2019
97pts
Yellow plum fruit and ripe citrus are spiced by nutmeg with some reduction as well as smoke and pear aromas. A savoury, deep mineral core leads to a long and lasting finish which brings perfect harmony to this richly textured wine.
Key Performance and Production Stats
Musigny Cuveé Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
- 2019 vintage - 95-98 points by Allen Meadows (Burghound)
- 5-year average return across all vintages 42% (7.2% compound annual growth rate - CAGR)
- 5-year performance 2014 vintage: 7.4% (1.4% CAGR)
- Annual production: 900 cases
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
- 2019 vintage - 93-95 points by Allen Meadows (Burghound)
- 5-year average return across all vintages 51% (8.6% CAGR)
- 5-year performance 2014 vintage: 28% (5% CAGR)
- Annual production: 400 cases
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
- 2019 vintage - 93-96 points by Allen Meadows (Burghound)
- 5-year average return across all vintages 48% (8.1% CAGR)
- 5-year performance 2014 vintage: 14% (2.7% CAGR)
- Annual production: 160 cases
- 2019 vintage - 91-93 points by Allen Meadows (Burghound)
- 5-year average return across all vintages 64% (10.4% CAGR)
- 5-year performance 2014 vintage: 42% (7.3% CAGR)
- Annual production: 560 cases
Chambolle-Musigny
- 2019 vintage - 89-92 points by Allen Meadows (Burghound)
- 5-year average return across all vintages 48% (8.2% CAGR)
- 5-year performance 2014 vintage: 54% (9% CAGR)
- Annual production: 400 cases
