2016 Puligny-Montrachet, Champ Gain, 1er Cru, Domaine de la Vougeraie, Burgundy

This exemplifies Vougeraie’s enthusiasm for its 2016 whites. W here nature was kind, there is an ideal marriage of volume of fruit and flavour, and a very special cut of minerality, helped by an almost problem-free harvest and ferment. There is lovely, plump, characterful fruit, with blossom and acacia, all surfing to the finish on the wine’s energy. Nature was not so kind for the yield, which is down 40 percent. Drink 2020-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Based in Premeaux, just south of Nuits-St Georges, Domaine de la Vougeraie was created in 1999 when Jean-Claude Boisset decided to group together all the vineyard holdings of the various négociant companies he had acquired over the years. Pascal Marchand was put in charge in 1999, with Bernard Zito in the vineyards, which are farmed biodynamically. Pascal produced powerful wines, fairly heavily extracted in his early vintages but clearly moving to a softer style by 2004. The wines have subsequently been made by Pierre Vincent who has maintained the more delicate approach. Top-quality vineyards continue to be added, especially Grand Cru whites in recent vintages. This is Pierre Vincent’s last vintage, as he is now installed at Domaine Leflaive. Vougeraie is very happy with this year’s result, another domaine to call the vintage “très Bourguigonne”, meaning that the precision and purity of the fruit means this is more terroir-focused than 2015’s broader and more intense style. They are also very happy with the way the frosted and non-frosted vines finally ripened homogenously, giving much of the credit to their biodynamic culture. Given the health of the berries, a lot of whole bunches were used at fermentation.