Domaine Henri Boillot : Clos Vougeot Grand cru 2017

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Domaine Henri Boillot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2017

Tasting

Appearance

The color shows a red hue.

Nose

The nose reveals delicious aromas of black berries, licorice, and rich earth, framed by creamy oak.

Palate

On the palate, this wine is beautifully balanced, with flavors of juicy black cherries and dark berries, lifted by notes of violet and spice that carry through to the finish.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2017 pairs perfectly with rich, well-marbled meats such as a bone-in rib steak, braised lamb, veal roast with mushrooms, or game birds in sauce or simply roasted. It also pairs elegantly with soft-ripened cheeses such as Époisses, Langres, or Cîteaux.

Serving and Cellaring

To fully appreciate this Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2017, it is recommended to serve it at 12-13°C when young. Decanting will help reveal its full aromatic complexity.

An Elegant and Refined Burgundy Grand Cru: Domaine Henri Boillot

The Estate

The Domaine Henri Boillot traces its origins back to 1885 with the Boillot family in Burgundy. Henri Boillot joined the family estate in 1975 before founding Maison Henri Boillot in 1996. In 2005, he bought out the family shares and renamed the estate after himself. Based in Meursault, the estate spans 15 to 19 hectares, planted to both white and red grape varieties. Since 2008, his son Guillaume has joined him and oversees the vinification of the red wines. A pioneer of highly sustainable viticulture as early as the 1990s, the estate has become a benchmark for its white wines and has built a growing reputation for its outstanding reds.

The Vineyard

The Clos Vougeot is one of Burgundy’s most historic vineyards, founded around 1110 by the monks of the Abbey of Cîteaux and classified as Grand Cru since 1937. Domaine Henri Boillot’s parcel lies in the Grand Maupertui section, the upper part of the Clos, at around 255 meters above sea level. The soils are shallow, about forty centimeters deep, composed of clay and limestone with a gravelly texture over a limestone subsoil. This south-southeast exposure, together with the historic enclosing wall, protects the vineyard while promoting optimal grape ripening. The vines are worked by hand according to sustainable farming principles, with no chemical soil treatments.

The Vintage

The 2017 vintage in Burgundy is considered a modern classic, defined by freshness, transparency, and refinement. The growing season proved particularly favorable, with minimal disease pressure, adequate rainfall, and conditions that allowed attentive winegrowers to fully express their terroirs. This vintage favors elegance and finesse over excessive power, yielding wines of great aromatic purity.

Vinification and Aging

For this Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2017, the grapes are destemmed then cooled to 8°C for twelve days before fermentation begins, for a total maceration time of about four weeks. During fermentation, selective punch-downs are carried out for gentle extraction. The wine is then aged for eighteen months in 350-liter barrels, about half in new oak and the other half in once-used barrels. No racking, fining, or filtration is carried out during aging, preserving the wine’s authenticity and complexity.

Grape Variety

100% Pinot Noir