1988 Jean Tardy Clos Vougeot

Domaine Jean Tardy & Fils is the story of three generations of vignerons who, over the decades, have earned reputations for making some of the most terroir-driven and remarkable wines in the Côte d’Or. In 1920 Victor Tardy found vineyard work at Domaine Camuzet, where he so impressed the domaine’s owners that in 1945 they asked him to work “en métayage,” or as an independent sharecropper and winemaker. By 1966 his son Jean had taken over and was working additional vineyards “en metayage.” Jean’s son Guillaume studied oenology in college and in 2003 took over Domaine Jean Tardy, which today includes about 20 acres in several appellations. Guillaume’s wines have earned compliments from reviewers. Wine Advocate wrote that Guillaume “is one of the young and upcoming winemakers of Vosne-Romanée. Tardy’s wines often have a modern sheen, perhaps even a glossiness that distinguished them from 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.