Vougeot is a charming little village that combines the beauty of its architectural heritage with the richness of its winemaking traditions. It is located on the Route des Grands Crus, which winds through some of Burgundy’s most prestigious vineyards and offers magnificent scenery and numerous opportunities for wine tastings.
Vougeot is renowned for its wines, particularly the Grand Cru, Clos de Vougeot, which has earned it widespread fame and accounts for three-quarters of its vineyard area. It has only about 15 hectares of communal appellation vineyards, of which nearly 12 hectares are classified as Premier Cru. No fewer than 85 owners share the 50 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards and maintain the walls of this famous clos. Its vineyard benefits from an exceptional terroir that gives the wines beautiful complexity and great aromatic richness. Its very elegant red wines, with deep color, notes of red fruit and spices, and a beautiful tannic structure, are reminiscent of those from Chambolle-Musigny, the neighboring village. It is also worth mentioning the Chardonnay wine from Clos Blanc, a 2-hectare Premier Cru—a monopole of the Domaine de la Vougeraie—located just outside the Clos de Vougeot, on its northern edge—whose color should come as no surprise, given that the illustrious Clos itself was planted with white grape varieties (Chardonnay and Pinot Beurot) until the early20th century. The white wines of the Vougeot village appellation are renowned for their precision, purity, finesse, and subtle aroma.
The picturesque alleyways lined with stone houses and historic buildings—such as the ancient wheel-driven wine press and the charming washhouse—add to the charm of this place. One cannot mention the village of Vougeot without speaking of its castle, which rises from the backdrop of the vineyards. Built in the Renaissance style, it once served as the residence of the abbots of Cîteaux and stands majestically in the upper part of the Clos. Its construction was completed in 1551 during the abbacy of Dom Loisier. The elegant building retains several Romanesque features: the 12th-century cellar and the remarkable 13th-century wine-pressing room, with its roofs sloping almost to the ground and four enormous medieval wine presses at its corners. The Revolution brought an end to monastic management, causing the château to gradually fall into obscurity. It was the wealth and dedication of two men—the banker Gabriel-Julien Ouvrard and the merchant Léonce Bocquet—that saved this gem from complete abandonment.
Restored in the late 19th century, it has belonged to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin since 1944, which holds its meetings there. One of the most famous is the one held on the first day of the “Three Glorious Days” of the Hospices de Beaune wine auction, which concludes, as it should, with one of those Rabelaisian-style meals that attract gourmets from around the world and have made the venue’s reputation. This site, designated a historic monument in 1949, is now the headquarters of the Climats of the Burgundy Vineyards, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 4, 2015. This symbol of French hospitality hosts numerous events throughout the year, notably the unmissable “Musique et Vin au Clos Vougeot”festival, which for the past seventeen years has brought together internationally renowned musicians and the region’s finest wineries. Gastronomy is not to be outdone, with the World Championship for Eggs in Meurette Sauce.
Whether you’re a history buff or a wine lover, Vougeot—a mecca of Burgundy’s wine region—offers you a unique and memorable experience.
