Domaine de la Vougeraie, based in Premeaux just south of Nuits St Georges, was created in 1999 when Jean-Claude Boisset of the Boisset group decided to group together all the vineyard holdings of his various negociant companies acquired over the years. The name comes from the significant holdings – and indeed Jean-Claude Boisset’s home – in the village of Vougeot. The winery is located however in the old Claudine Deschamps (Madame Jean-Claude Boisset) cellars in Prémeaux. The Domaine was put together from the various vineyard holdings which had accrued through the Boisset acquisitions of Burgundian houses over the years. Pascal Marchand was put in charge in 1999, with Bernard Zito in the vineyards, which were farmed biodynamically. Pascal produced powerful wines, fairly heavily extracted in his early vintages but clearly was subsequently moving to a softer approach by 2004.
With nearly 40 hectares of vineyard and over 30 different appellations, including six grand crus (Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Clos Vougeot, Charmes Chambertin, Mazoyères, Corton Clos du Roi, and Corton Charlemagne), this is one of Burgundy’s leading Domaines. Bel Air is the only Premier Cru climat that sits above Gevrey-Chambertin's Grand Cru vineyards on the mid-slope of the Côte d'Or. The cooler mesoclimate in this elevated vineyard makes for a leaner, less-concentrated wine than the Grand Crus, but nevertheless with good balance and elegant red fruit characters.
Old vines here in this vineyard are almost lost in the forest. Glowing mid-purple, with a very lifted nose, though the whole bunches (40%) are less apparent than they were in the Evocelles. There follows a solid density of fruit, good acidity, and medium weight which is all that Bel Air should aspire to, fair length. Could have had more persistence, perhaps.
Reduction presently overshadows the underlying fruit though it does seem ripe. There is very good volume to the plush, round and delicious medium-weight flavours that exude a refreshing minerality on the intense, firm, and precise finale that also possesses very fine depth and persistence. This is a very good effort that should repay a decade-plus of cellaring. *Outstanding*
Apparently, the berries were very aromatic when they entered the vat for the 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Bel-Air 1er Cru, which includes 40% whole bunches. It has a lovely bouquet of wild strawberry, raspberry, and wild hedgerow scents, with touches of iris flower emerging with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite fleshy and velvety-smooth in texture. There is more density here on the finish, which shows touches of spice and marmalade and fans out nicely. This should evolve well in bottle