Domaine D'Eugenie

Domaine d'Eugénie is the reincarnation of the famed Domaine Engel. After the tragic early death of Philippe Engel in May 2005, his family decided to sell the domaine. The highest bidder was François Pinault, owner of Château Latour in Bordeaux, whose right-hand man Frédéric Engerer had long had a passion for burgundy. The 2005 harvest had already been sold off in bulk, but the new team, including young vigneron Michel Mallard from Ladoix, made the 2006, 2007 and 2008 in the Lupé Cholet headquarters in Nuits-St-Georges. From 2009 they have moved into the now refurbished Clos Frantin buildings in Vosne itself.
The philosophy here is to grow Pinot Noir with a respect for nature, keeping chemical treatments to a minimum, ploughing in between rows rather than applying herbicide, whilst leaf and crop thinning is carried out to ensure grapes reach full maturity. The wines undergo a cold maceration before alcoholic fermentation and gentle extraction of the skins, ageing then follows 12 months for the villages and 15 for the 1er and Grands Crus.
The first vintage released by the Domaine was in 2006. The highly impressive 2007 vintage is a truly representative vintage for Domaine Eugenie, showing each of the vineyards in its true guise.