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Clos Vougeot 2008 75cl

AOC Grand Cru | Côte de Nuits | Burgundy | France
CHF 421.60
Critics scores
92 Robert Parker
Meo’s 2008 Clos Vougeot smells of charred, roasted red meats; smoky-sweet machine oil; metal shavings; and blackberry preserves. A correspondingly dark; sweet; smoky; subtly caramelized and bitter palate impression takes on aspects of medicinal herbal concentrate and saline, savory soy as you aerate the wine in your mouth. This is plush to an extent that covers over its tannins until they emerge grippingly in a finish whose sappy, subtly oily, sweet intensity no one is likely to deem “elegant,” but which is certainly impressive in its powerful way. Look for 12-15 years of high performance from bottles of this. Jean-Nicolas Meo emphasized the contrast between the low pHs of his 2008s (typical, of course, for this vintage in general) and the high pHs of 2007, which ironically – since the latter were given a higher dosage of sulfur as a precaution against undesirable bacteriological activity – led, he reported, to 2007s that showed a harder side initially than many of the corresponding 2008s. Given the high acids of 2008, says Meo, he preferred to let the fruit hang longer – even despite some shriveling – so that few of the musts were chaptalized and most were 13% or higher in natural alcohol. Typical for this address, the wines display admirable, even unusually strong sweetness of fruit, but in 2008 accompanied by prominent tannins and notes of new wood. Meo compares his 2008s with 2001 and 1996, opining that his wines from those two vintages have for the most part – in contrast with many 1993s – evolved nicely and without exhibiting excessive stiffness or hardness. I caught some 2008s in bottle and others from tank just before bottling, and the several 2007s I tasted alongside showed well, although Meo – in contrast with most growers – thinks his 2008 fruit was superior even in sheer ripeness. (Negociant wines – some from parcels the Meos in fact farm – are noted as “Frere et Soeur.”)
92 Robert Parker
Meo’s 2008 Clos Vougeot smells of charred, roasted red meats; smoky-sweet machine oil; metal shavings; and blackberry preserves. A correspondingly dark; sweet; smoky; subtly caramelized and bitter palate impression takes on aspects of medicinal herbal concentrate and saline, savory soy as you aerate the wine in your mouth. This is plush to an extent that covers over its tannins until they emerge grippingly in a finish whose sappy, subtly oily, sweet intensity no one is likely to deem “elegant,” but which is certainly impressive in its powerful way. Look for 12-15 years of high performance from bottles of this. Jean-Nicolas Meo emphasized the contrast between the low pHs of his 2008s (typical, of course, for this vintage in general) and the high pHs of 2007, which ironically – since the latter were given a higher dosage of sulfur as a precaution against undesirable bacteriological activity – led, he reported, to 2007s that showed a harder side initially than many of the corresponding 2008s. Given the high acids of 2008, says Meo, he preferred to let the fruit hang longer – even despite some shriveling – so that few of the musts were chaptalized and most were 13% or higher in natural alcohol. Typical for this address, the wines display admirable, even unusually strong sweetness of fruit, but in 2008 accompanied by prominent tannins and notes of new wood. Meo compares his 2008s with 2001 and 1996, opining that his wines from those two vintages have for the most part – in contrast with many 1993s – evolved nicely and without exhibiting excessive stiffness or hardness. I caught some 2008s in bottle and others from tank just before bottling, and the several 2007s I tasted alongside showed well, although Meo – in contrast with most growers – thinks his 2008 fruit was superior even in sheer ripeness. (Negociant wines – some from parcels the Meos in fact farm – are noted as “Frere et Soeur.”)
Producer
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
One of the great estates of Vosne-Romanée, Domaine Méo-Camuzet was founded at the beginning of the 20th century by Étienne Camuzet, a member of the French parliament for the Côte d'Or from 1902 to 1932. He selected and bought vineyards which were of particular interest to him, as well as the extraordinary Château de Clos de Vougeot (he was the last single owner before donating it to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin). His holdings were passed down to his daughter, Maria Noirot, and then later to a more distant relative, Jean Méo, in 1959. Like many domaines at the time, the vineyards were looked after by sharecroppers (métayeurs) and the wine was sold off in bulk to négociants. The domaine did not start bottling its own wine until 1985 and when Jean's son, Jean-Nicolas, arrived in 1989, the domaine had truly begun to transform. Henri Jayer, one of Burgundy's most inimitable personalities, will be forever linked to Méo-Camuzet. He remained one of the long-term sharecroppers until his first retirement in 1988. After this, he continued to advise the domaine for many more years. They have an impressive range of wines made from 25 different appellations, including both their domaine wines as well as a négociant label sold under the name Méo-Camuzet Frères & Soeurs.