Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

2020

Burghound 93-95: This is also aromatically quite spicy with its combination of ripe and fresh black cherry, leather and warm earth aromas. There is once again excellent density to the big-bodied, equally muscular and quite powerful flavors that possess equally impressive depth and persistence on the very firmly structured and youthfully austere finale. Here too ample patience is advised.

Wine Advocate 93-95: Revealing aromas of plummy fruit mingled with peonies, rose petals, orange rind, exotic spices and incense, the 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is full-bodied, layered and textural, with a deep, concentrated core, bright acids and velvety structuring tannins. Concluding with a long, perfumed finish, it's another classic in the making.

Vinous 94-96: The 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has a very well-defined bouquet, quite mineral-driven with crushed rock and pressed iris flower combined with dark cherry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, very focused with quite a strict and saline finish. There is a sense of class here and it has the substance to age well in bottle.

Decanter 97: A wine with a rich cassis fruit, where mineral and earth notes come through. There is great purity of fruit allied to a superbly silky, voluptuous texture. Hudelot-Noëllat is always among my favourite wines from the Clos. The domaine owns a superb 0.70ha at the top of the slope in the lieux-dits of Chioures and La Garenne. Charles van Canneyt was careful to ensure he didn't over-extract: 'We didn't want to do the 2005 vintage over again,' he says. This year, he has succeeded brilliantly.

2023

Burghound 90-93: A whiff of herbal tea sits atop the earthy humus-tinged aromas of mostly red berries and all but inviable oak. The vibrant and detailed, if not especially dense, medium weight flavors flash focused power and excellent length on the somewhat raspy but not really astringent finish. This is on the awkward side today and it's hard to say if it will better harmonize with age though my projected range offers the benefit of the doubt.

Wine Advocate 92-94: The 2023 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru opens in the glass with aromas of sweet berries, confit orange and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's a textural, creamy wine with ripe tannins and a spicy, perfumed finish.

Vinous 93-95: The 2023 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has a slight richer bouquet than the domaine's other cuvées. It has fine delineation and poise, with violet and iris flower notes infusing the dark cherry fruit tones. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. It's silky smooth but the acidity keeps this on its poise. This is open with hints of blood orange toward the finish. This exudes class.