Maison Roche de Bellene Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2021

The Clos de Vougeot is one of Burgundy’s most storied vineyards, 50 hectares of walled Grand Cru that have been in continuous cultivation since the 12th century, when Cistercian monks built the stone enclosure that still stands today. With over 80 different owners, the quality varies dramatically depending on whose fruit ends up in the bottle, and the source matters enormously. Potel’s Roche de Bellene sourcing focused on old vines from the upper and mid-slope sections of the clos, where the limestone-heavy soils produce wines of greater finesse and precision than the flatter, more clay-rich parcels at the bottom. The 2021 vintage, yielding tiny quantities after April frosts, gave wines of uncommon purity and aromatic lift: dark cherry, black plum, violet, and earthy forest floor on the nose, with a dense, structured palate of fine tannins and a long, mineral finish. A wine built for the cellar. Drink 2027 to 2040. These are extremely limited. Act now.