Clos Vougeot, Burgundy: Wine Styles, 10 Best Bottles, Prices (2024)

Clos Vougeot, also known as Clos de Vougeot, is a historic wall-enclosed Burgundy vineyard or “clos.” It’s one of the largest and most famous Grand Cru vineyards in Côte de Nuits, Burgundy.

Constructed in the 12th century by monks from Citeaux Abbey, today, Clos Vougeot doubles as an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for red wine. 

It is co-owned by many winemakers, including the renowned Domaine Leroy, Meo Camuzet, Anne Gros, and others.

This article covers everything about Clos Vougeot - the wine characteristics, 10 outstanding bottles worth buying in 2024, their investment potential, some delectable food pairings,  viticulture and vinification, and the vineyard’s history.

Clos Vougeot Wine: Taste And Characteristics

Like most vineyards in the Burgundy wine region of Côte de Nuits, Clos de Vougeot houses just one grape variety: Pinot Noir. However, since the vineyard is split among several owners, distinct differences exist between the wines. 

Typically, Clos de Vougeot wine packs very intense colors, ranging from strawberry red to deep garnet. 

The Grand Crus from this red wine appellation often exude an alluring aroma of blackberries, raspberries, and cherries mixed with mint and truffle. Clos de Vougeot wine is also characterized by a long finish. 

10 Marvelous Clos Vougeot Wines

Here’s a list of 10 outstanding Clos Vougeot wines from 10 different producers: 

• 2009 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot
• 1983 Domaine Rene Engel Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
• 2002 Haegelen-Jayer Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes
• 2010 Domaine Prieure Roch Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
• 2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot
• 2017 Laurent Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 'Cuvee du Cedre'
• 2011 Remoissenet Pere & Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
• 2002 Joseph Drouhin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 
• 2014 Domaine Chauvenet-Chopin Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
• 2016 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

1. 2009 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot ($9,619)

This Grand Cru wine packs a complex bouquet of red and purple fruit, spices, and forest. Intense flavors of black cherry and blackberry with velvety tannin lead to a long, powerful finish.

2. 1983 Domaine Rene Engel Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru ($1,575)

This delicious Burgundy wine offers a delectable nose of sour cherry, balanced citrus, with notes of primrose and truffle. Flavors of red berry, fig, and truffle define a clean palate. 

3. 2002 Haegelen-Jayer Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes ($1,438)

This Grand Cru wine has a rich floral aroma that entwines with scents of fruit and minerals with a pleasant palate of ripe cherry, spice, and black tea.

4. 2010 Domaine Prieure Roch Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru ($1,497)

A rich nose of red currant and ripe cherry defines this red Burgundy. Spice notes and rich fruit blend with solid tannins to create a dry finish.

5. 2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot ($1,598)

A young nose of crushed stone, minerals, dark fruit, and floral notes perfectly compliments a palate of black fruit and balanced acidity.

6. 2017 Laurent Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 'Cuvee du Cedre' ($526)

Bright red cherry and plum aromas open this Grand Cru wine with almonds, sweet spices, and fruit buffed flavors and firm tannin.

7. 2011 Remoissenet Pere & Fils Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru ($291)

This red Burgundy oozes a spicy, oaky nose of black fruit before smoky flavors of black fruit and minerals grace the palate.

8. 2002 Joseph Drouhin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru ($269)

A delicious perfume of dark fruit gives way to an intense palate of smoky strawberry, spice, and savory herbs. A wine lover might note some subtle flavors imparted from the oak barrels. 

9. 2014 Domaine Chauvenet-Chopin Clos Vougeot Grand Cru ($130)

The wine opens with pleasant aromas of red fruit, white pepper, spice, and toast. As for the tasting note, red cherries dominate the palate, complemented by vibrant acidity and oaky hints from the French oak barrels.

10. 2016 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru ($152)

Dark cherry, eucalyptus, and earth define the classic Burgundy wine aroma with spice, mushrooms, and cherry flavors. 

Investing in Clos Vougeot Wines

Some exceptional Clos de Vougeot wines offer long aging potential, anywhere from 10-30 years and sometimes even longer. 

Most Clos Vougeot producers produce wines in limited quantities. Méo-Camuzet, for instance, limits its production to just 600 bottles a year.

So, these Burgundies are highly sought-after and difficult to get hold of. In turn, Clos Vougeot wines show amazing price appreciation and command high prices in the secondary market.

For example, in 2018, the price of Domaine Leroy vintage wine soared 40%-50% to an average price of $43,400, making it the world’s most expensive wine. 

Another great example is the 2009 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru which increased by a record-breaking 166% going from $3,624 in 2020 to $9,648 in 2022.

Be sure to use a trusted wine investment platform like Vinovestif you want to invest in an authentic Clos de Vougeot or any other fine wine from around the world. 

Next, let’s look at a few delectable food pairings.

Food Pairings With Clos Vougeot Wine 

Consider enjoying a glass of Clos Vougeot Pinot Noir with red meat like roast lamb, a rare fillet steak, or carpaccio. 

White meat like roast chicken, roast pork, or turkey sausages is just as delicious. 

Clos Vougeot: Viticulture and Vinification

Clos Vougeot has a varied terroir, with various soils and aspects, depending mainly upon the slope. 

The highest part of the slope is about 255 meters above sea level with the best terroir and borders the Grands Echezeaux AOC. This vineyard is made up of coarse-grained soil around 40cm deep on a limestone bed and catches the morning sun. 

The mid-slope is still considerably well-drained, located at around 250 meters. The soil is relatively shallow, about 45 cm, with overlaying broken limestone. 

The lowest part of the vineyard has deeper soils, around 90 cm, and packs more alluvial and clayey, holding more water.

A Brief History of Clos Vougeot

Cistercian monks first established Clos de Vougeot in the 12th century and the walls were built by 1336. 

Chateau du Clos de Vougeot was added in 1551, complete with medieval vat and presses and a Cistercian cellar. 

The Cistercian monks made cuvees from different parts of the vineyard, creating consistently exceptional wine. Under the monks, the wines of Clos de Vougeot rose to fame. 

Typically, grapes grown on the top and middle parts of the vineyard were favored, as grapes lower down served better in dryer years. Typically, most other Cote de Nuits vineyards positioned at this level are classified Premier Cru. 

With time, this Burgundy vineyard was divided into 18 lieux-dits and split between the monks of Cîteaux Abbey who planted the original vine plantings, the Roman Catholic Church, and the French Crown. 

After the French Revolution, the land was confiscated and auctioned off in 1791. It was eventually owned by Julien-Jules Ouvrard, the son of Napoleon’s banker. 

The estate remained with the Ouvrard family for most of the 19th century before being sold to local négociants. Since then, the land has been divided up considerably, and today more than 80 landholders own the grounds.

Since 1934, Clos de Vougeot has been the seat of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (Brotherhood of the Knights of the Tasting Cup), whose goal is to promote Burgundian wine to the rest of the world.  

The Clos de Vougeot was officially classified as a Grand Cru site in 1937, though many question whether Premier Cru would be a more accurate designation, since not all vineyards in Clos de Vougeot are capable of producing Grand Cru quality. 

In 2015, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Add a Bottle of Clos Vougeot To Your Cellar 

Although all wines are made with a single grape variety, Clos de Vougeot wines come in various styles and qualities.  

When looking to capture the pinnacle of Burgundian Grands crus, Clos de Vougeot should be at the top of the list. 

If you’re looking to add some of these excellent wines to your cellar, visit the Vinovest website. Vinovest makes it easier than ever to buy, store, and sell fine wines from around the world!