When Robert and I visited Burgundy earlier this year one of the most impressive tastings we had was at Domaine Rodolphe Demougeot in Meursault.
Having started in the early 1990s with a few vines inherited from his grandparents Rodolphe has now built his domaine to 8ha. Early on he stopped using chemicals, no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. He uses a horse to plough to encourage soil health and does everything by hand. In the cellar he keeps things simple and follows some of the principles of biodynamics, although I would say he is on the practical rather than mystical side. He uses around 20% new oak for his village wines and he ages them for 13-16 months before bottling with no filtration.
He is a warm and friendly man, generous with time and wine, when we were there he opened a 2005 Pommard Vignots to show how well it had aged, it was delicious, complex yet fresh.
Above all he is a great wine maker, his wines show purity, perfume and finesse. They are transparent wines, even in a ripe vintage like 2015 the terroir shines through at this early stage. 2015 is a great vintage here. As Rodolphe said ‘2015 produced wines to age… they will just be ready when they are all finished!’ I disagree to some extent, they taste great now! With a little air the primary fruit is just so attractive, nothing over ripe here, they are pure and fresh. I have enjoyed all three of the wines below, yesterday I shared a bottle of the Auxey with a friend to accompany roast chicken and it was delicious.
But of course Rodolphe is right, they will keep improving and gaining complexity as they age; I think the Pommard especially will be a great wine with 10-15 years in the bottle.
Rodolphe Demougeot Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Bourgeots 2015
£25.00 per bottle inc VAT
From a vineyard lying close to the little river Rhoin. Over the years it has deposited material here, giving Bourgeots more clay and rocks in the soil than is often found in Savigny village land. In turn this gives a little more power to the wine, although it retains a sense of cool airiness. Pure nose, Cherry, a touch of iron too. Crunchy and fresh, the vintage giving depth and texture, mid weight and juicy. Cool, perfumed finish, floral, feminine and elegant. Best from 2020+
Rodolphe Demougeot Auxey-Duresses Les Clous 2015
£25.00 per bottle inc VAT
From a cool site on the high slopes that produced great fruit in 2015. Very fresh, elegant fruit driven nose. Immediate sweet attack, then lively interplay between stone fruit, rose and sour cherry. Crunchy and mineral, with a limestone coolness, with time in the glass the fruit unfolds, pure and primary at this stage and plenty of it, charnu, fleshy, says Rodolphe. The structure though is fine boned, almost sculptural and the wine seems to hold on the palate, with floral perfumes rising in the throat. Auxey is such an exciting village, I really think we must explore more, this is great red Burgundy and terrific value too. Best from 2022+
Rodolphe Demougeot Pommard Les Vignots 2015
£43.00 per bottle inc VAT
From a south facing site looking at Volnay and Meursault, 35-40-year-old vines which Rodolphe says sit in a slight hollow, giving shelter from the wind. Very dark brooding nose, pure cherry fruit. Refined but firm tannin structure is already well integrated, very fresh, sleek violets, again that perfume in the mouth is so attractive and a hallmark of Rodolphe’s wines. This is a delicious Pommard, it marries the villages firm structure with a light touch drinkability which is very attractive. Bearing in mind how good the 2005 was I would certainly say best from 2025+
