Yvon Clerget - Clos de Vougeot 2018

Add to Wish List

“I absolutely adored Clerget’s 2018s. I would go as far to say that here I found some of the finest expressions of Volnay, wines surfeit with purity, terroir expression, vibrant fruit and at times, quite ethereal levels of precision – remarkable given the type of growing season. Some of the cuvées are very limited in production, down to a barrel in a couple of cases, but do whatever you can to get hold of one. Who’s to bet against Yves Clerget’s name ranking alongside the likes of Lafarge in the future? Maybe it already does.”

-Neil Martin, Vinous

Thibaud Clerget is the 28th generation of his family to make wines in Volnay and Pommard. No, that is not a typo; the Clerget family has been in Burgundy since 1268! The story of Domaine Yvon Clerget is one of rebirth. In 2009, Thibaud’s father Yvon decided to retire from winemaking. Knowing his son had an intense passion to continue the family legacy, he made the decision to sell the grapes from the family holdings in the finest terroirs of Volnay and Pommard to Henri Boillot. During this time, Thibaud began studying the craft of vineyard management and winemaking from two storied names in Burgundy, Henri Boillot and Domaine Hudelot-Noellat. After this three year apprenticeship, Thibaud returned to take over the family domaine. In 2015 he produced his first wines and announced the re-emergence of Domaine Yvon Clerget. Quality of this kind from an inaugural release is incredibly rare and it is clear to all that have followed the rise of Thibaud Clerget, that benchmark status is imminent.

Yvon Clerget Description

"The reborn Domaine Y. Clerget could very well turn out to be one of the great recent success stories in Burgundy… Readers should do whatever they can to taste these wines. [Thibaud] Clerget is just 28 and appears to have a brilliant career in front of him. Bravo!"-Antonio Galloni, Vinous

The Clergets have been working their vineyards for generations until 2009 when Yvon announced he was going to retire. They began selling all of their fruit to Henri Boillot while Yvon's son Thibaud continued to study and learn more about vineyard management and winemaking while working with Henri Boillot and Hudelot Noellat. Pretty good places to learn! In 2015, the Clergets stopped selling their fruit and Thibaud produced and bottled his first wines under the Domaine Yvon Clerget label.

Thibaud Clerget is the winemaker, in his 30s by the way, and oversees top premier cru vineyard holdings in Volnay and Pommard to go along with a tiny parcel of Clos Vougeot from Grand Maupertui in the upper section of the Clos next to Anne Gros and Meo Camuzet!

Inside Burgundy: 93-96 Points

From the Grand Maupertui sector, 50% whole bunch, 50% new wood. Certainly this is a very powerful wine with the fruit weight standing out more than the whole bunch effect. Brilliant purple black colour. Loads of energy here, this is a broad-shouldered Clos which, as is typical, doesn’t show the nuances at this point but certainly seems to have the class for long term ageing. Very good! - Jasper Morris