Clos de Vougeot: the grand cru, its 50 hectares, and its 80 owners
Is it really a grand cru?
Yes, without a doubt: Clos de Vougeot is a grand cru appellation of the Côte de Nuits, classified since 1937, made from red pinot noir. The confusion arises from its size. Most Burgundy grands crus are tiny; this one covers approximately fifty hectares in a single enclosure, making it the largest clos in the Côte de Nuits and the largest single grand cru in the region. A grand cru of this size cannot be homogeneous, and this is not a labeling flaw: it is a fact of geology and ownership.
The particularity: one wall, dozens of hands
More than eighty owners and producers share the plots within the clos. The origin is historical: confiscation in 1790, successive sales, then in 1920 the division of Étienne Camuzet’s fifteen hectares among fifteen owners. As a result, two bottles with exactly the same appellation can be made just a hundred meters apart by two producers with different yields, different aging processes, and different interpretations of pinot noir. The largest single owner is the Domaine du Château de la Tour. The detailed breakdown is on how many owners.
The top and the bottom of the clos
This is the only thing you need to remember if you remember just one thing. The top of the clos, near the château, is on a slope and drains well; it is traditionally considered the best terroir. The bottom, towards the national road, is flatter and more clayey, and is considered the least consistent. Between the two, there is a whole gradient. No label will tell you where the plot is located: you need to know the domaine. When a guide stops you at the wall, ask them to show you the slope; it is visible to the naked eye from the Route des Grands Crus.
What works
- A grand cru to seek out, because many versions exist
- Very different styles from one domaine to another
- The clos can be seen in its entirety from the road, without a ticket
- The name is easy to remember and easy to compare from one producer to another
Good to know
- Uneven consistency: the plot matters as much as the vintage
- The bottom of the clos produces more variable wines
- No tour guarantees a tasting of Clos de Vougeot itself
- The château no longer produces wine: nothing to taste on site except at the restaurant
The style, aging potential, and serving
A Clos de Vougeot is typically drunk between ten and twenty years after the vintage; great vintages can last even longer. Serve it at around sixteen to seventeen degrees, and decant it for an hour if it is young: this suits it better than waiting in the glass. The vintages generally considered great in the Côte de Nuits are 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2020; I discuss them in more detail on the vintages page.
How much does a bottle cost?
I do not publish any prices on this site, and for this wine, it would be misleading anyway. What affects the price of a bottle of Clos de Vougeot: the domaine, first and foremost, because the producer’s reputation weighs more than the appellation; the position of the plot, whether at the top or bottom of the clos; the vintage; the age of the bottle and its condition; and the sales channel, whether from the domaine, a wine merchant, or a restaurant’s wine list. To get an accurate idea, compare several domaines at a wine merchant in Nuits-Saint-Georges or Beaune, or ask the domaine directly. That’s the only place where the price is up to date.
A related question, often asked right after: what is the most expensive wine in Burgundy? Generally, Romanée-Conti, which is in Vosne-Romanée, just a few minutes from here. Tours stop there for a photo of the sign, and that’s all you can do.
On a tour, do not expect a tasting of Clos de Vougeot. Stops at the clos are for photos, and tastings take place at the visited domaines, which do not necessarily own a plot here. Ask for the program of the domaines before booking.
Where to taste it
The château has not produced wine for a long time, so there is no tasting at the reception. Three options: lunch at La Table de Léonce, inside the château, where the four wines are selected by the Confrérie; a wine merchant in the Côte; or a domaine within the clos, by appointment. On tours, the day trip from Beaune includes tasting fourteen wines—village, premier cru, and grand cru combined—and some visitors have tasted a Clos de Vougeot, though this is not guaranteed. Compare the options on the Côte de Nuits tours.
Tasting fourteen wines in the Côte
The day trip from Beaune includes a domaine near Beaune, a cellar in Nuits-Saint-Georges with the winemaker, and a shop in Chambolle-Musigny, with photo stops at Clos de Vougeot and Romanée-Conti. Eight hours thirty, maximum eight people, in English.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clos de Vougeot a grand cru?
Yes, it is a grand cru appellation of the Côte de Nuits since 1937, exclusively red pinot noir, covering approximately fifty hectares as a single enclosed vineyard.
What is special about the Clos de Vougeot?
One single walled clos, one single name, and more than eighty owners sharing the plots: see how many owners. Hence, very different styles under the same label.
What is the price of a bottle of Clos de Vougeot?
It depends on the domaine, the position of the plot within the clos, the vintage, and the sales channel; the difference between two producers is considerable. Compare at a wine merchant in the Côte or ask the domaine directly—that’s where the price is up to date.
When should you drink a Clos de Vougeot?
Typically between ten and twenty years after the vintage, longer for great vintages: the details are on the vintages page.