WTN: It's a small world after all

[Jenise]

Come on, sing along!

It's a small world, after all
It's a small world, after all
It's a small world, after all
It's a small, small world.

Oregon winery nabs Burgundy fruit, makes wine:

2011 Evening Land Vineyards Clos Vougeot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Opened to celebrate Bastille Day. Has put on a lot of weight in last two years. Grand Cru concentration and quality very evident now. Drank fairly nicely after a two-hour decant, but the tannins turned grippy during the second glass. Nowhere near peak.

(David, just wanted to help you stop singing that horrible Carpenters song.)

So how did this work? Evening Land is an Oregon producer. Did they buy fruit from a grower in the Clos de Vougeot and then vinify the wine themselves? Or did they buy wine from a vintner in the Clos and then do the elevage? Is this wine AOC Clos de Vougeot?

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Paul, I have no answer to your questions. I can only say that the producer is the $$$ Hollywood type who bought the famed Seven Springs Vineyard out from under Mark Vlossac at St. Innocent when the vineyard's owner died. Why/how this wine, no idea.

Or maybe they're just poaching the Clos Vougeot name, just as Gallo produces "Hearty Burgundy" and "Chablis"? But I thought the ATF wasn't allowing that sort of thing anymore.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Oh, it's a real Clos Vougeot allright. I thought you were asking a different question.

I guess they're just acting as a negociant/importer, then. I wonder whose plot in the Clos the wine came from?

-Paul W.

I think it's a rich guy partnered with Raj Parr. i believe they started label in Burgundy before buying land (inc SS) in Oregon. The Burgundies are negoce, but unsure whether bought grapes, bought wine and did elevage, or just bought bottles and relabeled. All legal, if Jenise still has bottle should get a clue from the mis en bouteille part of fine print.

[Jenise]

Dale, will check.