Discover the Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru appellation and its cuvée from Hospices de Beaune

The style of Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru wines

Unique in its kind, Clos de Vougeot is distinguished by a subtle alliance between immediate charm and structured depth, giving rise to wines that are at once seductive, nuanced and of great finesse. Although certain vintages can be accessible when young, the true complexity of these wines is fully expressed after a few years of cellaring, revealing their full dimension and confirming their rank among the great Côte de Nuits crus.

Clos de Vougeot Pinot Noir is an intense ruby color. On the nose, it opens with delicate red fruits - cherry, raspberry and redcurrant - to which are added floral notes of rose, violet and sometimes reseda, evoking a certain springtime freshness. With age, the aromatic palette gains in depth, revealing nuances of black fruit, blackberry, mocha, sometimes slightly animal touches such as leather or truffle, and even peppery hints, while retaining the freshness and distinction characteristic of the Clos.

On the palate, Clos de Vougeot wines seduce with their silky, harmonious texture. The attack is supple yet precise, supported by fine tannins that structure the wine without heaviness. The balance between fruit, freshness and substance gives a long, elegant finish. The best vintages, after several years of cellaring, develop even greater depth and complexity, as the tannins become progressively more refined, allowing for an ageing potential of ten to thirty years or more.

Buy a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru at the Hospices de Beaune auction with Albert Bichot

This grand cru will appeal to the most demanding connoisseurs, and we count many of them among our customers from all over the world who choose our house to buy and then age with the greatest care this Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. A wine of superlatives!

The Clos de Vougeot terroir

Located in the commune of Vougeot, between Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny, in the heart of the Côte de Nuits, Clos de Vougeot stretches across a vast, predominantly east-facing slope. This exposure ensures regular sunshine from sunrise, conducive to the gradual ripening of the Pinot Noir grapes. The altitude varies from around 240 to 260 meters, with a gentle slope descending from the top of the hill to the plain, creating slightly different climatic conditions in different areas and contributing to the diversity of the wine's expression.

The Clos de Vougeot terroir is renowned for its great heterogeneity. In the upper part, the soils are shallow, very chalky and stony, favoring finesse, tension and aromatic elegance. In the center of the vineyard, the soils become more balanced, blending brown clay and limestone elements, giving structured, full-bodied wines. In the lower part, closer to the plain, the soils are deeper, richer in clay and sometimes wetter, producing more powerful, full-bodied wines. This mosaic of clay-limestone soils, combined with variations in depth and drainage, explains the diversity of styles within this unique Grand Cru, where power, density and refinement can coexist in the same appellation.

Hospices de Beaune has been offering this majestic appellation for sale since the 2025 vintage, following a gift from the Faiveley family, who celebrated their bicentenary that same year. The bequeathed parcel is located in the southern part of Clos de Vougeot. Not far from the parcel that our house Albert Bichot cultivates through our Domaine du Clos Frantin. There's no doubt that this Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Cuvée François Faiveley is the perfect complement to the Hospices parcellaire in Côte de Nuits.

Clos de Vougeot climats within the Hospices de Beaune estate

• Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru cuvé Jean-Luc Bissey: Baudes Basses

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru map

Etymology

This mythical AND emblematic appellation of Burgundy combines two characteristic elements of the winegrowing landscape. The word "clos" refers to a parcel of vines surrounded by walls, a practice inherited from the monks who sought to protect their crops and better control the terroirs. "Vougeot" comes from the Vouge stream, which flows through the village of Vougeot. The expression literally means "the walled vineyard near the Vouge".

The history of Clos de Vougeot and the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin

A monastic vineyard that has become emblematic

The history of Clos de Vougeot began in the XIIᵉ century when the monks of the Cîteaux Abbey developed viticulture in the region. They gradually planted vines and built the walls of the Clos around 1336 to precisely delimit this terroir. The château was built in the XVIᵉ and XVIIᵉ centuries, with its gigantic presses designed to vinify the production of the monastic estate. After the French Revolution, the vineyard was sold as national property and divided up between numerous owners. Today, more than eighty estates cultivate parcels in this unique Grand Cru, Clos de Vougeot, located between Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny.

The Chevaliers of the Tastevin ("knights of the taste-wine")

In 1944, the château was acquired by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, founded in 1934 in Nuits-Saint-Georges. The mission of this gastronomic and wine-making brotherhood is to promote Burgundy wines and regional traditions. Ceremonies, known as chapters, take place in the château's salle des gardes. Participants wear black robes adorned with the tastevin, and the atmosphere blends humor, medieval-inspired rituals and tastings of fine wines. Inductees include a wide variety of personalities from the world of wine, gastronomy, culture and politics.

The Chapitre des Trois Glorieuses

The most prestigious chapter from the brotherhood is the "Trois Glorieuses", held every year on the eve of the Hospices de Beaune wine auction. This weekend is the pinnacle of the Burgundy wine calendar. On Saturday evening, the chapter is held at Clos de Vougeot in a solemn and festive atmosphere. A grand dinner is served, punctuated by speeches, songs, inductions and tastings of exceptional wines. The following day sees the famous Hospices de Beaune sale, held on the third Sunday in November, a major event that traditionally influences the Burgundy wine market. The festivities continue on Monday with a gastronomic lunch in Meursault.

The Trois Glorieuses chapter symbolizes the alliance between monastic tradition, gastronomic culture and the international influence of Burgundy wines. It perpetuates the spirit of the Clos de Vougeot, a place where winegrowing history, conviviality and prestige meet to this day.

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Key facts about the Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru appellation