A distinctly cool and very reserved nose only grudgingly offers up notes of red current, dark cherry and spice and freshly turned earth. There is excellent vivacity to the equally big-bodied and powerful flavors that also possess excellent mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a succulent but entirely serious youthfully austere finish that is quite firmly structured. Over the last few years the Clos de Vougeot appears to have taken over the crown as the best wine in the range and so it is again in 2017.
94 points, Burghound.com
Francois Pinault, President of Groupe Artemis who own, amongst other things Chateau Latour in Bordeaux was the first Bordelaise to show interest in Burgundy when he paid AU 20 million for the 7ha Domaine Engel, which he renamed Domaine d’Eugénie (after his grandmother) in 2006. This now looks like a good price given the reported 450 that Pinault paid for the 7.53 ha Clos de Tart in 2017.
Pinault wasted no time, acquiring the historic Frantin estate from Albert Bichot and building a new state of the art winery. The village vineyard Clos Frantin was included and, in 2011 this vineyard was officially renamed Clos d’Eugenie. Pinault also added to the domaine by purchasing some prime white vineyards including 0.0428 ha of Montrachet and 0.0856 ha of Batard Montrachet – both acquired from Etienne de Montille of Chateau de Puligny Montrachet as well as some Meursault Les Perrières 1er and Chassagne-Montrachet Les Perclos.
Château Latour President Frédéric Engerer directs the new Domaine Eugénie along with his second in command, régisseur Michel Mallard and a combination of low yields, vinification without sulphur (which is added later at bottling) and between 10-60% whole clusters during fermentation all add up to wines that are pure and terroir-driven expressions. This is now one of the finest domaines in Burgundy.
