2005 Chateau de La Tour Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes

Château de la Tour is the largest owner of acreage within the Grand Cru appellation Clos de Vougeot. The estate includes 13.7 acres of Clos de Vougeot and is owned by the sisters Jeanne Labet and Nicole d’Echelette. Jeanne’s son Francois runs the domaine. The estate dates from the late 19th century although it did not start bottling its own wines until the 1930s. The estate’s Grand Cru has earned compliments from Burghound.com, among others.

Clos de Vougeot is a walled vineyard that dominates the tiny commune of Vougeot in Burgundy’s Nuits-St.-Georges. The 124-acre Grand Cru vineyard includes a historic chateau that in 1945 was purchased by the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, an organization devoted to promoting the traditions of Burgundy and its wines. The impressive chateau is the organization’s headquarters. Clos de Vougeot was established as a vineyard by Cistercian monks in the 12th century, then sold off to private owners after the French Revolution. The vineyard is unusual for a Grand Cru in that it includes land that runs down to the main road. The soil is light limestone with sand. Principal landowners are Chateau de la Tour, with 13 acres; Meo-Camuzet, 7.5 acres; Rebourseau, 5.5 acres; Louis Jadot, 5.3 acres; and Leroy, 5 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.