Claude Dugat

History

The property that Maurice Dugat purchased in Gevrey-Chambertin was not a winery at all. It was Grange de Dimes, built in the 13th century, a building used to store agricultural tithes collected for the church. He converted the site into an operational wine cellar and renamed it Cellier des Dimes. The date of this purchase is generally believed to be 1955, though some records indicate it took place a year later. Either way, the history of the Dugat Winery as we know it today began in the mid-1950s, and the building that houses the winery is about seven centuries older than the business within it. Claude Dugat grew up in that environment and, like his father, began his career as a wine merchant. At first, he primarily sold wines produced by others. It wasn't until the 1990s that he began selling his own cuvées, bottled in-house. About ten years later, his children joined the business. Bertrand has been leading the company for several years alongside his sisters, Laeticia and Jeanne, while Claude watches from the sidelines, continuing to pass on the knowledge he has acquired. 

Six hectares, one commune

All of the land belonging to the Claude Dugat estate is located within Gevrey-Chambertin. The total area is 6 hectares, and this small scale is an intentional choice rather than a limitation. This is because the family has absolutely no interest in cultivating vineyards outside their own commune.

Land ownership is divided. About half is owned outright by the domaine, while the rest is operated on a leasehold basis, a common practice in the Côte de Nuits region, though the people actually working the vineyards remain the same.

These vineyards span the highest tiers of the appellation classification, including the Grand Cru parcels in Griotte-Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, two Premier Cru plots including Lavaux St Jacques, as well as Village-level land in Gevrey-Chambertin and one plot supplying grapes to Bourgogne Rouge.

Spread across a very small number of hectares, these Grand Cru vineyards produce only a very limited quantity of wine each year. This scarcity is the primary reason why Dugat wines are currently trading at such high prices.

The grapes

Claude Dugat produces only red wine, and all of its wines are made from a single grape variety, Pinot Noir , from the Bourgogne Rouge and up to Grand Cru. Since Gevrey-Chambertin is a region known for red wine, this is less a philosophy and more a description of the region's characteristics. However, it does mean that the differences between the wines stem from where the grapes were grown.

Winemaking

Claude Dugat's winemaking process is simple and consistent. The grape clusters are completely destemmed, so there are no whole clusters left and no stem tannins; fermentation begins relatively quickly without a long cold maceration period.

Extraction is done by hand. The cap is punched down twice a day, and there is little to no pumping over. This method gently draws the juice through the solids and requires more labor than using a pump.

The use of oak barrels is particularly restrained in the lower tiers of the lineup. Bourgogne Rouge is aged in one-year-old barrels, that is, barrels that have already been used once, rather than new oak. This approach is by no means unusual for Côte de Nuits. What sets Dugat apart is the fact that even a small domaine like this makes almost no compromises.

The wines

Claude Dugat bottles only a small quantity of wine, and these wines are neatly organized by vineyard rather than by style. The entry-level wine is Bourgogne Rouge, followed by the village-level Gevrey Chambertin, which many wine enthusiasts consider the most accessible choice among the winery's offerings. Above that sits the Premier Cru, which includes the Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques. Next comes the Grand Cru. Among these, Charmes Chambertin may be the most accessible, Griotte Chambertin is the most distinctive, and the winery also bottles Chapelle-Chambertin. With production coming from just 6 hectares, these three Grand Crus are produced in truly minuscule quantities. Prices rise sharply as the classification increases, and for those who wish to understand this family's wines, the village wine has long been a wise choice for beginners. All wines, including Bourgogne, are worth aging for the long term.