Robert Sirugue

Just a stone’s throw from René Engel’s former home in Vosne-Romanée lies the Domaine Robert Sirugue winery, one of those estates that have been quietly producing superb wine for over a century, whilst remaining virtually unknown to the general public.

An important part of the production goes directly to the finest restaurants around the world, which explains why the name is still not as widely known as it deserves to be.

History

The Sirugue family has been making wine in Vosne-Romanée for four generations. The Sirugue family has deep ties to the village: the Sirugue family has historical links to the Jayer and Grivots winemaking dynasties. When Suzanne Sirugue married François Gerbet, her vineyards eventually passed to the Berthaut family in Fixen after her death in 2010, marking the beginning of what is now known as Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet.

In 2000, Robert Sirugue passed the estate on to his daughter Marie-France and son Jean-Louis, representatives of the fourth generation. Jean-Louis’s son, Arnaud, is also involved in the business, whilst his wife Sophie Noëllat co-manages Domaine Michel Noëllat, another branch of the family in this close-knit village.

Vineyards

The estate covers around 12 hectares, mainly in Vosne-Romanée, and practises sustainable viticulture. The vineyards are spread across several lieux-dits within the village, including Aux Réas to the south, Les Chalandins to the north and Les Barreaux on the mid-slope, the latter being adjacent to the famous Cros Parantoux. A plot in Les Mombies in Chambolle-Musigny adds a lighter, floral element to the range.

The jewels of the collection are two small plots: one in the Grands-Échezeaux Grand Cru and the other in Les Petits Monts Premier Cru in Vosne-Romanée.

Terroir

The village plots are situated on the classic limestone and clay soils of the Côte de Nuits, with the slope and soil depth varying from plot to plot. Le Barro’s proximity to Cros Parantoux lends it the energy and structure of this famous site. Les Petits Monts, situated higher up the slope on lighter soils above the rock, produces more intense and precise wines. Grand Échezeaux, on the plateau above Clos de Vougeot, has deeper clay soils, lending it a certain opulence.

Grape varieties

Almost entirely Pinot Noir. A small amount of Aligoté is used to produce the white wine Bourgogne Aligoté, whilst Passe-tout-grains is made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay.

Winemaking

All grapes are harvested by hand and completely destemmed. Cold maceration takes place prior to fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Each plot is vinified separately. The ‘Vosne-Romanée’ wine is blended from three separate lieux-dits. A small portion of each harvest is still sold to wine merchants.

Wines

The range begins with ‘Bourgogne Rouge’, made from grapes from three plots in Vosne-Romanée, Flagey-Échézeaux and Gilly-lès-Cîteaux.

The ‘Village’ wines include ‘Vosne-Romanée’ and ‘Chambolle-Musigny Les Mombies’. The estate also produces Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes from grapes grown on the estate’s oldest plots.

Above these are the Premier Cru Vosne-Romanée Les Petits Monts and, at the very top, the Grands-Échézeaux Grand Cru, produced in very small quantities.