# Côte de Nuits-Villages Le Vaucrain (2024)

- **Producer:** Domaine Louis Jadot
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, rose, violet, black pepper, vanilla, cloves, toast

## About this wine

Domaine Louis Jadot, established in Beaune in 1859, is one of Burgundy's most historic and respected houses. The Le Vaucrain vineyard is an estate-owned parcel acquired in 1996, located in the southern extreme of the Côte de Nuits in the commune of Comblanchien. This specific site sits immediately adjacent to the prestigious Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos de la Maréchale. Because Comblanchien lacks its own communal village appellation due to its historical association with limestone quarrying, its wines are classified under the broader Côte de Nuits-Villages AOC. Consequently, Le Vaucrain represents an exceptional hidden gem that offers Premier Cru complexity and structure at a village-level price point. The vineyard also serves as a crucial research site for Jadot's long-term rootstock trials to evaluate vine resilience against climate change.

## Interesting facts

- Le Vaucrain sits directly adjacent to the famous Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Clos de la Maréchale.
- The vineyard serves as Jadot's primary research site for testing climate-resilient vine rootstocks.
- The 2024 vintage marks the official organic certification for Jadot's estate-owned Le Vaucrain parcel.
- Comblanchien, where the vineyard lies, is historically famous for its pink building stone quarries.

## Food pairing

This medium-bodied Pinot Noir thrives on balance, matching moderate tannins and vibrant acidity with savory, earthy dishes. The wine's bright acidity cuts through the richness of duck and veal, while its subtle earthy undertones perfectly mirror the flavors of wild mushrooms. The fine-grained tannins are soft enough to pair with rich fish like salmon, yet structured enough to complement lean red meats without overwhelming them.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for the 2024 vintage reflects Jadot's meticulous approach to a highly challenging growing season. Following hand-harvesting and rigorous manual sorting, the Pinot Noir grapes were destemmed. Maceration and fermentation took place in open wooden vats and stainless steel tanks over a period of three to four weeks, with twice-daily punching down (pigeage) to gently extract color, flavor, and fine tannins. After completing 100% malolactic fermentation, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels produced by Jadot's proprietary Cadus cooperage. It underwent an extended aging period of 18 months in these barrels, with approximately one-third (33%) being new oak, providing structural integration and refined complexity.