Aux Brûlées

Aux Brûlées occupies a 4.52-hectare vineyard at the upper-slope position of Vosne-Romanée's Grand Cru cluster, sitting immediately north of Richebourg Grand Cru and adjacent to the Échezeaux Grand Cru complex to the east. The vineyard runs approximately 280 metres north-south and 175 metres east-west across the eastern face of the Côte d'Or escarpment, with elevation ranging from 280 metres at the lower-slope eastern boundary to 305 metres at the upper-slope western boundary. Slope angle averages 8-12% with east-southeast slope orientation. The vineyard's geographic position immediately above Richebourg places it at the upper-slope continuation of the Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru cluster: shared geological continuity with Richebourg, similar Bathonian limestone bedrock, and similar concave escarpment microclimatic concentration. The proximity to Richebourg distinguishes Aux Brûlées from other Vosne 1er Crus by producing the most structurally concentrated 1er Cru register in the village.

• 4.52 ha vineyard ~280 m × 175 m; elevation 280-305 m; slope angle 8-12%; east-southeast orientation
• Sits immediately north of Richebourg Grand Cru; adjacent to Échezeaux Grand Cru complex to east
• Geological continuity with Richebourg: shared Bathonian bedrock + concave escarpment microclimatic concentration
• Most structurally concentrated 1er Cru register in Vosne-Romanée from upper-slope position above Richebourg

Aux Brûlées's most distinctive geological feature is the extremely shallow soil profile that produces wines of exceptional concentration. Soil depth at the Aux Brûlées core typically runs only 20-25 centimetres of stony loam over fractured Bathonian limestone bedrock, among the shallowest commercially-cultivated vineyard soils in all of Vosne-Romanée and comparable to Le Musigny's Petits Musigny upper-slope apex in soil shallowness. The shallow profile forces vine roots deep into the fractured Bathonian bedrock for water and nutrients during dry vintages, producing wines of mineral intensity and structural concentration. The Bathonian bedrock is the same canonical Vosne-Romanée prestige formation that anchors Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, and Richebourg, with the marl-enriched sub-formation that distinguishes Vosne from neighbouring villages providing aromatic complexity alongside the structural concentration. The combination of upper-slope position, shallow soils, fractured Bathonian bedrock, and the cooler microclimate from the slightly higher elevation produces Aux Brûlées's signature stylistic register: concentrated structural backbone with mineral intensity and refined aromatic clarity.

• Extremely shallow soil profile: ~20-25 cm stony loam over fractured Bathonian bedrock; among shallowest commercially-cultivated vineyard soils in Vosne-Romanée
• Comparable to Le Musigny's Petits Musigny upper-slope apex in soil shallowness
• Vine roots forced deep into fractured Bathonian for water/nutrients = exceptional concentration and mineral intensity
• Bathonian bedrock + marl-enriched sub-formation (canonical Vosne prestige formation): structural concentration + aromatic complexity

Aux Brûlées has roughly 8 producers across the 4.52 hectares. Domaine d'Eugénie (formerly Domaine René Engel) is the largest holder at approximately 1.14 hectares. Domaine Méo-Camuzet holds about 0.69 hectares alongside the family's broader Vosne portfolio; the Méo-Camuzet Aux Brûlées is widely regarded as the canonical commercial reference for the appellation and demonstrates the estate's contemporary high-extraction Vosne style applied to the upper-slope shallow-soil 1er Cru. Henri Jayer made a celebrated Aux Brûlées under métayage for the Camuzet family during his career, but he never owned the parcel and it reverted to Domaine Méo-Camuzet when the sharecropping arrangement ended; his nephew Emmanuel Rouget holds no Aux Brûlées today, his Vosne premier crus being Cros Parantoux and Les Beaux Monts. Domaine Leroy holds parcels acquired with the 1988 Domaine Leroy property purchase from Domaine Charles Noëllat; the Leroy Aux Brûlées demonstrates biodynamic vinification applied to the appellation. Other holdings include Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat, Domaine Bruno Clavelier, Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, Domaine Michel Gros, plus négociants Joseph Drouhin and Louis Jadot.

• Domaine d'Eugénie (formerly Domaine René Engel): the largest holder of Aux Brûlées at approximately 1.14 ha
• Domaine Méo-Camuzet: about 0.69 ha; canonical commercial reference; contemporary high-extraction Vosne style applied to upper-slope shallow-soil 1er Cru
• Domaine Leroy: parcels acquired 1988 Domaine Leroy property purchase from Domaine Charles Noëllat; biodynamic vinification
• Other holdings: Hudelot-Noëllat, Bruno Clavelier, Mugneret-Gibourg, Michel Gros, négociants Joseph Drouhin and Louis Jadot

Aux Brûlées produces wines of concentrated structural register approaching Richebourg with refined aromatic clarity, demonstrating the upper-slope shallow-soil terroir at quasi-Grand-Cru tier. Young wines (5-10 years from vintage) carry firm-yet-refined tannic structure with concentrated dark-fruited primary aromatics (blackberry, dark cherry, black plum) and substantial mineral concentration; mid-aged wines (10-20 years) develop integrated tannic structure with secondary register transitioning toward dried fruits and the structural backbone integrating; mature wines (20-25 years) develop tertiary complexity (forest floor, leather, dried herbs) with retained aromatic clarity. Top domaine bottlings (Méo-Camuzet, Rouget) consistently demonstrate 20-25 year ageing trajectory in optimal cellar conditions. Commercial pricing positions Aux Brûlées at approximately 25-40% of Richebourg pricing for the same producer (where applicable), reflecting the appellation's quasi-Grand-Cru-tier reputation; the Rouget Aux Brûlées and Méo-Camuzet Aux Brûlées trade at premium 1er Cru pricing of €300-700 per bottle on release for current vintages, with auction prices reaching €500-1,500+ per bottle for top vintages. Critical commerce regards Aux Brûlées as one of the strongest Vosne 1er Crus alongside Aux Malconsorts, Cros Parantoux, and Les Suchots, with the four together representing the apex of Vosne-Romanée non-Grand-Cru commerce.

• Concentrated structural register approaching Richebourg with refined aromatic clarity; firm-yet-refined tannic + concentrated dark-fruited + substantial mineral concentration
• Mature wines (20-25 years): tertiary complexity (forest floor, leather, dried herbs) with retained aromatic clarity
• Top domaine bottlings (Méo-Camuzet, Rouget): 20-25 year ageing; commercial pricing ~25-40% of Richebourg
• Among strongest Vosne 1er Crus alongside Aux Malconsorts, Cros Parantoux, Les Suchots; apex of Vosne non-Grand-Cru commerce

Aux Brûlées's documented commercial history traces to medieval cultivation through the broader Vosne-Romanée vineyard project. The Brûlées (literally the burned, feminine plural) name traces to medieval cultivation history with two principal etymological theories: the most widely cited is that the name references brushwood-clearing fires used by medieval vignerons to prepare the slope for vineyard cultivation, with the burned-over land becoming the Brûlées; the second theory traces the name to the warm sun-baked microclimate at the upper-slope position, with the slope appearing burned by sun exposure during summer afternoons. The exact etymological origin is undocumented in surviving medieval records, but both theories reflect the parcel's distinctive upper-slope terroir character. The 1936 INAO classification confirmed Aux Brûlées as a Premier Cru with the contemporary 4.52-hectare footprint alongside the village's broader 14-Premier-Cru classification. The Henri Jayer 1985-2001 grower-revolution era was particularly important to the appellation's contemporary critical recognition: Jayer's Aux Brûlées bottlings demonstrated the upper-slope shallow-soil terroir at premium quality and established the institutional commercial commerce that continues through Emmanuel Rouget's continuation and Méo-Camuzet's contemporary leadership.

• Documented commercial history through medieval cultivation; Brûlées (the burned) name from medieval cultivation history
• Two etymological theories: brushwood-clearing fires for vineyard preparation OR warm sun-baked microclimate; exact origin undocumented
• 1936 INAO classification confirmed Premier Cru status with 4.52 ha footprint
• Henri Jayer 1985-2001 grower-revolution era elevated contemporary critical recognition; institutional commerce continues through Emmanuel Rouget and Méo-Camuzet leadership