Domaine Bruno CLAVELIER (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2022 Tasted from Bottle and Barrel Sample

Bruno Clavelier’s wines are not as well known as those of some other producers but they are wines that greatly admired by those who know Burgundy best. The estate has been biodynamic since 1997.

Bruno said that he harvested early in 2022. Since 2003 he has been harvesting on tasting grapes and not sticking to the traditional 100 days from flowering. Consequently, in 2022 the harvest was 28 August to 10 September. Alcohols are 12.5% villages, 13-13.5% for 1er crus. He chaptalized to prolong fermentation only — adding about 0.1-0.2% to the final alcohol level. 

This is a great set of wines with purity, finesse, energy, and great expression of the terroirs.

The first set of wines were already bottled when I visited:

2022 Bourgone-Aligoté

98 year-old vines, Aligoté doré grape type and massale selection. Raised in tank. Pure, silky, round, mineral focused, fresh. 89/A

2022 vin de France Chardonnay 

75 year-old vines; wine raised in wood, but no new wood. Lovely minerality, lightness, freshness, intensity.  89/A

For the reds — about 60% whole clusters:

2022 Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains

From a pure Pinot parcel of 90 years’s age, and another parcel of Pinot and Gamay that is about 75 years-old. 12% Gamay, 88% Pinot. Pure raspberry fruit, very precise, light, fresh. 88/A

The following wines were not yet in bottle:

2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir  Les Champs d’Argent 

Vines are almost 108 years-old, between Nuits and Vosne, Light, pure, smooth, but relatively closed for the moment. (86-88)

2022 vin de France Les Chailles

This is from Pinot Noir vines planted in 2015 in La Montagne lieux-dit but across the road from Clavelier’s La Montagne vines that already were in existence. The location had been classified as Vosne at one time, but it had gone unplanted so long that it lost its appellation and so it is now vin de France. Pure, light, precise, red fruits, good freshness, energy, finesse. Great for what it is. Les Chailles refers to the type of stone in the vineyard. Four barrels, 1200 bottles. (89-91)

2022 Vosne-Romanée   La Combe Brulée

Juicier and more depth than the Chailles, pure red fruits, finesse, energy, silky,  great balance and tension. 85+ year-old vines. 15% new oak here. (91-94)

2022 Vosne-Romanée  Les Hautes Maizières

Ripe and full, a completely different kind of wine from the Combe Brulée, this is richer and has darker fruit (and color), more body, some herbal spice notes — especially lavender. The soils here are richer and deeper, and of course the vines are at the level of the village, whereas Combe Brulée is on the top of the hill.  Vines are about 70 years-old. (91-93)

2022 Vosne-Romanée   La Montagne

90 year-old vines. Beautiful stony nose. Freshness of the fruit, which comes from the air going through the gap or valley (Combe), but there is also light and heat reflected from chaille rocks. Pure, energetic, some Vosne spice, long, penetrating, precise, finesse. (91-93)

2022 Gevrey-Chambertin    1er Cru  Les Corbeaux

As good as the village wines are, we’re definitely moving up a step with the premiers crus. Round, sensuous, red fruits with dark hints, good freshness, minerality, excellent length. (93-95)

2022 Vosne-Romanée  1er Cru  Aux Brulées

Chaille rocks here but also sandy soils. Dark fruit, purity, layering, freshness, finesse. This is just great wine with its complexity, completeness, and refinement. (95-97)

2022 Vosne-Romanée   1er Cru  Les Beaux Monts

Stony nose, luminous minerality of Beaux Monts, more body here. Not the layering of Brulées, but maybe with longer future than the Brulées. Beaux Monts character clearly shows through. (93-96)

2022 Chambolle-Musigny  1er Cru   Les Noirots

Cherry fruit with good nervosity, purity, some power here for Chambolle; round in mouth, but not quite the complexity here at this point. (92-95)

2022 Chambolle-Musigny   1er Cru  La Combe d’Orveau

Dark fruits, velvet texture, pure, velvet, more closed now than most of the other wines. Needs more time to develop. (93-95)

2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges   1er Cru  Aux Cras

Vines average about 90 years in age. Round, some power but also finesse, sensuousness, spicy, tannins are round. Needs time to develop. (93-96)

2022 Corton Le Rognet

Round, more massive than other wines, but still with finesse and round tannins, making this wine sensuous and quite approachable now. Bruno bought the vineyard in 1999 and the wines seem to be constantly improving.. Always the first to harvest. (94-97)