2018 Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Regular price $275.00
(93-95)+ Wine Advocate - Aromas of wild berries, spices, peonies, dark chocolate and subtle hints of grilled meats introduce the 2018 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, a full-bodied, deep and broad-shouldered wine that's deep, concentrated and reserved. It had a late malolactic, making this one of the more backward cuvées in the cellar. There are fully 14 barrels this year, equating to a yield of around 45 hectoliters per hectare from the domaine's 0.69-hectare parcel.
The 2018 Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Clos Vougeot Grand Cru is a beautifully poised interpretation of one of Burgundy's most iconic Grand Crus. Under the stewardship of Charles Van Canneyt, Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat has become one of the Côte de Nuits' benchmark estates, crafting wines that emphasize elegance, purity and precision over sheer power. The domaine's 0.8-hectare holding, divided between two superb parcels in the finest section of Clos Vougeot, consistently yields a Grand Cru of remarkable harmony and finesse. Approximately 40% new French oak is employed, enhancing complexity while allowing the vineyard's character to remain front and center.
The 2018 vintage produced wines of exceptional concentration and ripeness, yet Hudelot-Noëllat's restrained winemaking preserved freshness and balance. Rather than emphasizing the muscular side of Clos Vougeot, this bottling showcases the appellation's often-overlooked elegance, with seamless integration of fruit, structure and mineral tension. Critics praised its floral character, freshness and harmonious balance despite the richness of the vintage.
Tasting Profile
The bouquet is immediately captivating, offering aromas of wild blackberry, black cherry and ripe raspberry layered with peony, rose petals and exotic baking spices. As the wine unfolds, notes of dark chocolate, incense, forest floor, graphite and a subtle hint of smoked meat add remarkable depth and complexity.
On the palate, the wine is full-bodied yet remarkably graceful. A concentrated core of red and black fruit is wrapped in silky, fine-grained tannins that provide structure without heaviness. Vibrant acidity lends energy and lift, while the limestone-rich soils contribute a chalky mineral backbone that carries through the exceptionally long finish. The oak is beautifully integrated, adding subtle notes of vanilla spice and cedar without overshadowing the wine's floral purity and vibrant fruit. Rather than overwhelming with sheer density, the wine impresses through its refinement, precision and effortless balance.
Shipping Policy
- Unless your delivery address is on the West Coast, we strongly discourage you from selecting “Ground Service” as your shipping method. During the winter and summer months, weather conditions (temperature) and longer delivery times can often result in the spoilage of your order. It doesn’t make sense to invest in fine wines and then take the chance of ruining them due environmental factors during transit (faster and safer delivery generally isn’t much more expensive). We don’t make an additional profit on accelerated delivery, but we frequently recommend faster shipping options to our customers outside the West Coast.
- You must be 21 years of age to order or receive alcoholic beverages. Any shipments containing alcoholic beverages are sent with an “Adult Signature Required” sticker, and the common carrier that delivers our merchandise is required to ask and check for identification upon delivery. This means that an adult will have to be present at the time of delivery. Please consider shipping to an office address.
- During periods of extreme weather, we attempt to ship wines at the beginning of each week in order to get shipments to you before the weekend. This is because we have no control over the temperature conditions at our freight carriers’ warehouses. The result may be that your shipment doesn’t go out the day that you place an order.
- We ship by Fedex or Fedex Ground. Our prices include packaging materials. Insurance may be available for an additional charge.
- Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. will arrange for shipment on behalf of the buyer, to an address specified by the buyer, provided that Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. in its sole judgment believes that such shipment will not subject Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. to the risk of any sort of legal action or other harm. If a buyer lives in a state where the direct shipment of wine by Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. violates the law, we suggest that the buyer provide an alternative address in another state or have their wine shipped to a third-party storage facility in a direct shipping-friendly state.
- Various states impose limitations on the quantity of alcoholic beverages that may be purchased and brought into their jurisdiction by a purchaser from another state without requiring the purchaser, a seller or shipper to possess certain licenses or permits. Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. does not, as a condition of sale, assume any obligation nor bear any responsibility whatsoever for applying or obtaining any permits or licenses. Therefore, we recommend that you investigate the possibility of such limitations, and determine the manner in which alcoholic beverages shall be brought into your state from California, so as to comply with all of your state’s requirements.
- Wine shipping rules in the United States are controlled by the state you live in. We do not ship wine to the following states at this time:
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Kansas - Kentucky
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Maryland - Massachusetts
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List Updated 2/1/2023
Please inquire about international shipping.
Vintage Wine Merchants
377 Santana Row, Suite 1135
San Jose, CA 95128
408-260-1115