TN: 2016 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot, Grand Cru

Initially showing just a bit of meatiness. With air it really gets going, with black fruits concentrating at the wine’s heart. It has flesh and a velvety feel, with chalky tannins a plenty just below the surface. It is very Vougeot and very good, far too young but engaging at the same time. The finish powers on and on. Should be something special in another two decades.

Jeremy, thanks for the note on this. Where do you find Meo’s example sits in the hierarchy of Clos Vougeot? I personally quite liked the few examples I’ve had but and do have some in the cellar. However, I’ve heard others who don’t think this is always a great example of the vineyard.

An interesting question Alex, and IIRC correctly with some 70 producers of CV a tough one to answer.
Meo in my experience is very Meo, distinctive and quite individual. There’s very definitely a house style, and they are to my mind one of the finest Burgundy producers, not top tier with DRC etc, but perhaps on the second rung.
The best brace of CV I have seen was from Leroy, back in the day when they were within reach of mere mortals.
I have also had good CVs from Hudelot-Noellat, Jadot, Daniel Rion, Domaine dÉugenie (Engel) and Raphet. Was less impressed with Lamarche but by all accounts their wines are on an upward trajectory.

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Kent, thank you for the thoughtful response and the context. I quite like the house style at Meo Camuzet as well. My personal favourite CVs are Engel and Grivot although have had very enjoyable ones from producers like de Montille and Hudelot-Noellat. Lamarche’s versions have left me a little cold but I haven’t had any recent versions. More recent versions of La Grande Rue have been very promising so like you I also imagine the Clos Vougeot has improved. Sadly I have no experience with that Leroy wine.

I know this has been mentioned in other threads but one of the things I both love and hate about Clos Vougeot is that because the vineyard is so big and there are so many producers, you really have to look specifically at the wines in a way you don’t (to the same extent) for more narrowly held grand crus and premier crus. Even when you like a producer, their Clos Vougeot may leave you cold if the vines aren’t located in the right part of the vineyard (although some examples I really like such as Grivot aren’t in the traditionally best part of the vineyard). That and the fact that the wines just need more time than most means that people don’t always have great experiences which is why many VR premier crus are now being priced higher.

Hi Alex,

I reckon Méo’s Clos Vougeot offerings are right up there with the very best. Domaine Leroy are consistently the greatest Clos Vougeot for mine, but sadly I don’t get to drink many of them anymore. Domaine d’Eugénie’s version is splendid. Domaine Château De La Tour make decidedly old school and built for the long-haul Clos Vougeots. I’ve had some really good old bottles from Haegelen-Jayer. Arnoux-Lachaux make a beauty and I really like the 1990’s wines from Dominique Laurent. We used to bring in the wines of Domaine Daniel Rion (a Domaine that ceased after the 2018 vintage). The wines were really rocking over the 2014-2018 period. Pascale Rion kept some of their parcel of Clos Vougeot, and I look forward to tasting the inaugural 2020 release under the Pascale Rion Delhautal label. We import a small amount of Domaine Forey Père et Fils and I really like their Clos Vougeot. There is still value to be had from Clos Vougeot and a lot of very good wine from this large Grand Cru.

Cheers
Jeremy

I believe that the Mugneret Gibourg sisters make one of the top CVs. And that bottling is my personal favorite in their range. Black fruited but lifted and energetic.

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Very hard to procure around these parts these days. Good call Matthew.

Jeremy, what happened with the rest of the D Rion estate?

Hard to procure in almost any parts. My offering got cut to a single bottle years ago.

Hi Alan,

I believe the vineyards were split between Pascale and her two brothers, Olivier and Christophe. Pascale will release 2020 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Côte de Nuits, Nuits Saint Georges. Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Vignerondes, Vosne Romanée, Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts and Clos Vougeot under her Pascale Rion Delhautal label sometime this year. The 2019 Daniel Rion wines were sold off in barrel to various Negociants, so there will be some nice juice out there.

Cheers
Jeremy

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