Richebourg 2023 Meo Camuzet

Tasting Note Richebourg 2023

Initially, aromas of dark cherries and crushed raspberries emerge, followed by notes of rose petals and the subtle, wild character that Vosne-Romanée gradually develops. The new oak from the Tronçais and Bertranges forests reveals notes of cloves and toasted spices rather than vanilla sweetness. On the palate, this Richebourg displays a broad, sensual flavor profile thanks to the sugar content of the well-ripened 2023 grapes, but the tannins are delicate, and the finish turns stony rather than soft. It is exceptionally concentrated and still tightly structured, and years away from its best.

Grape Varieties

Richebourg allows only a single grape variety, and Méo-Camuzet does not plant any other varieties here:

Pinot Noir is produced from old vines that bear small berries; on this estate, it is called Pinot fin. The smaller the berries, the higher the skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in more intense color and tannins.

Cellaring Potential

Thanks to its concentration, this Richebourg has a long aging journey ahead of it. It is best enjoyed between 2030 and 2052. For young wine, decant it two hours in advance and serve at 16-18°C.

About Meo Camuzet

For decades Domaine Méo-Camuzet owned some of Burgundy's best land without making the wine from it. Étienne Camuzet, mayor of Vosne-Romanée and a deputy for the Côte-d'Or, was too busy with politics, so he leased his vines out to four farmers, one of them Henri Jayer. That arrangement ran on until 2008, when the last tenants retired and Jean-Nicolas Méo finally had every plot in his own hands. He had come back to Vosne-Romanée in 1989, taught by Jayer and by Christian Faurois, son of one of the estate's historic tenants. Fourteen hectares, six Grand Crus (Richebourg among them), ten Premier Crus across four communes, village wines and three Chardonnays. Every plot is vinified and bottled separately. Organic practices without certification, horses on the difficult slopes, around seventeen months in French oak on average, then gravity bottling, unfiltered.

Christian Faurois retired in 2018 after decades running the vines, replaced by Damien Hudelot.

Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs, the négoce arm was set up in the early 2000s with the same family shareholding and is commercially of importance.

Terroir & Climate

Richebourg is located on the mid-slope in the northern part of Vosne-Romanée and features a soil composition of clay and sand mixed with gravel over limestone. Drainage is excellent, which is a crucial factor for moisture-sensitive grape varieties. Méo-Camuzet owns approximately 3/4 acre in the relatively cool area known as les Verroilles, as well as 1/10 acre in les Richebourg, located directly below Cros Parantoux. The vines, planted in the 1950s, face primarily east and are planted along north-south rows, providing welcome shade during hot years.

Winemaking

The grapes are harvested by hand and passed through a sorting table; depending on the vintage, 5-20% are discarded during the sorting process. Before natural fermentation begins, the grapes undergo a cold maceration process at approximately 15°C for 3-5 days to extract color. Pumping over is performed in the early stages, followed by punch-downs in the later stages. Richebourg is aged for approximately 17 months in new oak barrels sourced from the Tronçais and Bertranges forests, then bottled by gravity without filtration.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs most naturally with game. Saddle of venison, roasted wild duck, or wild hare in a dark sauce complement the wine's full body without overpowering its aroma. Risotto with truffles or morel mushrooms pairs beautifully with Vosne-Romanée Pinot Noir's earthy notes. To be honest, wines like Richebourg shine brightest when enjoyed on their own, without competing with other foods.