Presentation
The luminous shadow of the Clos. Vougeot is a Burgundian enigma: barely a dozen hectares outside the famous walled vineyard, spread across a handful of discreet climats, including Les Cras, nestled just north of the Grand Cru. Here, everything evokes the nobility of its illustrious neighbor: the wines’ depth, their distinguished structure, that quiet strength paired with whispered elegance. The Premier Cru Les Cras embodies this understated excellence. A red wine born of lineage, yet speaking with its own voice — freer, more immediate, yet just as timeless.
Terroir
The Climat «Les Cras» is located just south of the famous Clos de Vougeot, nestled between two other Premier crus: Les Petits Vougeots and Le Clos Blanc. Its stony, limestone-rich soils provid excellent drainage, contributing to the wine’s signature minerality. Positioned on a gentle slope with optimal sun exposure, the vines reach full ripeness, producing structured wines with precision and elegance.
Winemaking
The grapes are handpicked and 25% of the harvest is not destemmed. After the 5th day vatting day, daily pump-overs and light, gentle punch-downs are carried out. Maceration lasts 15 days after which the wine is transferred to a new oak barrel (fine-grained oak from Central France forests) where it will begin its ageing. The wine is then racked after a 6-month ageing period and transferred to a barrel that has already been used during our previous vintage. Total ageing time lasts 16.5 months.
Specifications
Production volume : 158 BOTTLES, 36 MAGNUMS
Tasting
Beautiful, intense vermilion-red colour. The nose is expressive, refined and elegant, revealing lovely fruity notes of blackcurrant (coulis, liqueur) alongside fresh floral hints of honeysuckle. This is followed by nuances of peat and toasted bread, then subtle aromas of beeswax and balsamic accents (pine, eucalyptus). On the palate, the wine impresses with its density and concentration, carried by a vibrant fruit core and fine-grained tannins. A wine of character: at once refined, dense and well-structured, with promising ageing potential.
Reviews
Tim Atkin
Jancis Robinson