Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1976 - photo 1

Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1976

Lot 202
29.09.2022 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 10 625
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 812539
Lot 202 | Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1976
Estimate value
£ 8 000 – 11 000
‘Bottled poetry’: Wines from Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé



Burgundy’s historic Domaine Comte de Vogüé dates back to 1450. Of this estate 7.25 hectares are dedicated to the fabled Le Musigny, 2.75 to the production of Bonnes-Mares, and 1.8 to the Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny. At the head of the estate is François Millet — a poetic bon viveur for whom taming vines is an art akin to an author penning a poem, or a musical maestro raising his baton. Millet distills the essence of his wines through a tumult of lyrical French. Here, with a touch of that poetry, an introduction to five of the estates most exceptional wines:



The apex of Millet’s portfolio at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé is the 7 hectares of Musigny Grand Cru. Great care is taken with the production of the noble grape, with only the oldest vines — a total of 3.8 hectares — used to produce wine with the most consistency and depth of character. In most vintages only 900 or so cases of the Musigny comes to market; the result is a wine to be sought out and treasured. For Millet, the character of the resulting wine is that of a noble old gentleman; a cravat-wearing cognac-sipper, smoking a cigar as he holds forth on world affairs. Musigny is as sophisticated and serious as the metaphor suggests; strong vintages suggesting a robe of rich cherry and raspberry fruit billowing over warm chocolate and a Crème Brûlée texture. Stellar vintages such as 1990 and 2000 have an element of oriental spice, with a spray of sumac, paprika and black-pepper. When, in 1991, a swathe of hail hit the Côte d’Or — with potentially disastrous effects for the grapes — Millet, an inventive and quick-thinking winemaker, instructed 60 locals to bring their tweezers to the sorting tables, and help remove every single damaged grape. As a result, the character of the 1991 Musigny today is fresher and riper than many Grand Cru Burgundies from that ‘annus horribilis’.



The Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru is, to Millet ‘Musigny in short-trousers’; a child prodigy playing a Steinway piano in Carnegie Hall, only occasionally missing the melodic arpeggios of a Mozart concerto. The wine began its life with the 1995 vintage and, today, the domaine produces around 500 cases of a grand cru wine masquerading as a lowly premier cru. Vintages such as 2000 have a creamy edge and a fine lace of red fruit, before a late grab of tannin.



The domaine’s other star is their 2.7 hectare plot of Bonnes Mares, which accounts for 400 cases a year. The vines are on the Chambolle side of the Morey boundary — a parcel which tends towards elegant, refined Bonnes Mares. Fine old vintages deliver violet, strawberry notes with a delicate peony blossom underpinned by a ground coffee bean flavour and toasty oak. Darker and more brooding than the Musigny, for Millet it is an electric wine; like a thunderstorm about to break.



The ‘first lady’ of the de Vogüé portfolio is the premier cru Les Amoureuses — or, the lovers. Ploughed by horses because of the stony topsoil, the parcel is a tiny 0.56 hectare holding and so a mere 160 cases vintage leave the domaine. Millet sees the wines as Musigny’s little sister, refined but never frivolous and a tasting of his stellar 1999 vintage reveals a bouquet of redcurrant and loganberry against a back-drop of sous-bois and mushroom. In time complexity develops, yet it never reaches the leather-armchair study wreathed in cigar-smoke where Les Amoureuses older brother Musigny sits.



Millet works alongside Jean-Luc Pepin, who runs the Domaine and Eric Bourgogne, who tends the vines. It is a triumvirate that produces outstanding results vintage upon vintage and has enabled the domaine to recover its reputation in recent years. In 1925 the estate was inherited by the Comte Georges de Vogüé and, until the early 60’s, fabulous wines were crafted from the plots under his ownership in Chambolle. The Comte’s absence from Burgundy in the 60’s and 70’s saw quality levels slide and it is the current team that have maintained a celebrated level of quality under the ownership of the Comte’s granddaughters since the early 80’s. Winemaking at the Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé is like a conversation, with the wines matching Millet’s lyrical poeticism with structure, energy and a complex cornucopia of flavours.

DOMAINE COMTES GEORGES DE VOGUE



The historic Domaine Comte Georges De Vogüé can trace its history back to 1450 when Jean Moisson erected the original building in Chambolle Musigny. In 1766 Moisson’s descendant, Catherine Louise Bouhier de Versalieu, married Cerice François Melchior de Vogüé. The family managed to retain the Domaine, despite being exiled to England during the French Revolution. Comte Georges de Vogüé took over the estate in 1925. Today the Domaine is owned by sisters Comtesse Claire de Causans and Marie de Ladoucette and run by a team comprising Eric Bourgogne (vineyard manager), François Millet (technical director), and Jean-Luc Pépin (sales and marketing director). It is considered by many as the greatest estate in Chambolle Musigny.



The Domaine is considered amongst the very best in Burgundy, producing rich, elegant, perfumed and deliciously complex wines that can age for half a century or more. Francois Millet aims to achieve full expression of the exceptional terroirs in his wines. Anyone attempting to draw up a list of the top ten wines in the world would surely have to consider a Comte de Vogüé Musigny from a great vintage, such as those offered in this remarkable collection.

Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes 1976

Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits

Slightly depressed corks. Good appearance. Levels: two 2cm, four 2.5cm and six 3cm

12 bottles per lot





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Place of origin:Cote de Nuits, Western Europe, France, Europe
Category:Wine
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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29.09.2022 – 29.09.2022
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