Lucien Le Moine : Clos de Vougeot Grand cru 2019

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru by Lucien Le Moine: A Structured Red from the Côte de Nuits

Tasting

Color

This Clos de Vougeot 2019 displays a deep red color, consistent with a Pinot Noir grand cru raised according to the Lucien Le Moine method of extended lees aging.

Nose

The nose reflects the refined depth and aromatic elegance that characterize the house's red Burgundies, built from fruit sourced on some of the Côte de Nuits' most prestigious terroirs.

Palate

On the palate, the wine reveals a silky texture, a hallmark of Lucien Le Moine's approach, in which the Pinot Noir is left on its full lees for an extended period without racking.

Serving and cellaring

As with other cuvées from the house, the Clos de Vougeot 2019 may retain a touch of natural carbon dioxide resulting from its long, unracked aging on lees. Decanting before serving is recommended to let the wine open up fully.

The Estate

Lucien Le Moine is a micro-négociant house founded in Beaune, Burgundy, in 1999 by Mounir and Rotem Saouma. Rather than owning vineyards, the house works through close relationships with growers across the Côte d'Or, purchasing only a few barrels of each site while insisting on receiving all of the lees. This approach, combined with new fine-grain oak barrels and extended aging without racking, defines the identity of Lucien Le Moine. Mounir and Rotem Saouma remain at the head of the house today.

The Vineyard

Clos Vougeot is one of the most renowned grand crus of the Côte de Nuits, long recognized among the great terroirs of Burgundy. Lucien Le Moine does not own vines in this cru but sources its fruit through established relationships with growers who cultivate parcels within this historic walled vineyard, selling only a limited number of barrels to the house while retaining ties to the full production through the lees.

Winemaking and aging

For its red Burgundies, Lucien Le Moine follows a minimal-intervention approach: grapes are placed in vat without sulfur, undergo a cold maceration of about fourteen days, and ferment slowly without punching down or pumping over. The Clos de Vougeot 2019 is then aged in new, fine-grain oak barrels on its complete lees, without any racking, for an extended period, allowing the wine to develop texture and complexity naturally while relying on the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation for protection in place of significant sulfur additions.

Grape Variety

100% pinot noir.