The origins of Domaine Christian Clerget date back to the beginning of the 20th Century, when the great-grandparents of Christian Clerget, the present owner together with his wife Isabelle, assembled various parcels of vines in the villages of Chambolle, Vougeot and Morey St-Denis. The 5 hectare family estate was known in the 80s and 90s as Domaine Georges Clerget, named for Christian’s father. Christian took over in 1996 and built a new winery in 1998 as a first step to taking the domaine to its present level of quality; all of the production is now sold under Christian’s name.

Christian Clerget’s vision is to produce the purest, most natural wines possible. This means moving the domaine towards full “biologique” cultivation. The land is worked by hand and no herbicides or insecticides are used. Clerget believes that balance in the vineyard will help lead to balanced wines. The vines are pruned severely to limit yields. He began green harvesting in 2000, and also practices leaf stripping (to aerate the bunches and advance maturity when necessary) and using a sorting table for the fruit. Clerget places great confidence in his long-standing team of harvesters who know the vines and ensure that only perfect fruit is picked.

In the winery, Clerget allows the fermentation to begin slowly without the use of added enzymes or yeasts. The grapes are all de-stemmed and are pressed lightly to avoid the extraction of harsh elements. The young wine is treated gently and is moved by gravity into barrels. The wines are aged in barrels for 12 months and then are racked off the lees; they are then redistributed in barrels to complete the last 4-6 months of their elevage. Clerget uses barrels that are, on average, one third new, with the balance being up to three “wines” old. The wines are bottled after a second racking, without filtration, and with the natural CO2.

Of the three wines being introduced in the US market this fall, the Echezeaux has the oldest vines: the 60-year-old parcel produces a wine of remarkable density and richness, with deeply ripe tannins that lend structure and complexity. The Chambolle AOC, from 15-year-old vines, offers delicious, plush and supple raspberry-cherry fruit. The Chambolle 1er Cru Les Charmes, from 35-year-old vines, is at once more powerful and elegant; it is a profound wine. All three bottlings share a distinctly pure, natural style in which the fruit can be not only tasted but more aptly, experienced, in an uncommon way.

Domaine Clerget is an estate to watch. The Burgundy insider publication, Bourgogne Aujourd’hui, recently declared that Christian Clerget has “joined the elite of the best of the Cotes de Nuits.” (Issue #64, June-July 2005).