Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2018
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Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
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Wine Spectator
Black cherry and blackberry take center stage here, with a velvety texture and refined tannins. Earth and spicy oak add detail, while the bright acidity makes for a nice equilibrium. It ends with a cascade of fruit on the finish, matched by powdery tannins. Best from 2024 through 2040.
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James Suckling
From a parcel at the top of the vineyard, in the southwest corner, this has a very sappy and gently herbal edge with a complex and smooth feel. Really vibrant, spiced red-berry and plum aromas. Powerful delivery of fine and even tannin, elegant, silky and fine. Terrific power here. Red-fruit flavors hold fresh. Try from 2024.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Containing the largest Grand Cru in all of the Côte d’Or, Vougeot, the village, takes its name from the small stream flowing through it, called Vouge. Over three quarters of the village retains Grand Cru status, and a single vineyard at that: Clos de Vougeot (or simply, Clos Vougeot). Its mass—over 50 ha—retains the single name chiefly for historic reasons.
But today, Clos de Vougeot contains over 80 owners and shows significant soil and slope variations within its boundaries. The top, bordering Musigny and Grands Echezeaux, is calcareous and gravelly on oolitic limestone and exhibits wonderful drainage. The middle sections are limestone, gravel and clay with less of a slope. The lower part has little slant and is mostly made of clay. Historically the diverse parcels were blended but today the abundance of owners means that everyone has his own style. Exploring and understanding them is part of the allure of Clos de Vougeot.
In general a fine Clos de Vougeot when young will be dense and dark but juicy, with a pronounced austerity, and needs a good ten years to bring it to its full potential.