Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Gaudichots

Les Gaudichots has one of the most dramatic origin stories in all of Burgundy. In 1855, the climate covered 5.95 hectares and was sold interchangeably with La Tâche in the late 19th century, reflecting the close proximity and overlapping reputation of the two sites. The decisive moment came in 1932, when a court ruling favored Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and led to the majority of Les Gaudichots being legally incorporated into La Tâche Grand Cru. Only the portions deemed to fall short of Grand Cru quality were left behind, classified as Premier Cru. What remains today is a fragmented, historically significant vineyard carrying the weight of that judicial separation.

• Originally mapped at 5.95 hectares in 1855
• Sold as La Tâche interchangeably in the late 19th century
• 1932 court ruling absorbed most of the climat into La Tâche Grand Cru
• Remaining 1 hectare retained Premier Cru status, split across three non-contiguous plots

Les Gaudichots sits at approximately 300 meters elevation on the Côte de Nuits, with a steep aspect that angles the vines toward morning sunshine. The soils are argilo-calcaire, a clay-limestone composition typical of Vosne-Romanée, with a pebbly clay topsoil sitting above hard limestone substrata. Cool air descending from atop the Côte d'Or moderates nighttime temperatures, preserving acidity and aromatic complexity. This combination of slope, soil, and thermal contrast produces wines with a distinctive concentration and structure that places Les Gaudichots firmly in Vosne-Romanée's upper tier of Premier Crus.

• Elevation: approximately 300 meters
• Aspect: steep slope angled toward morning sun
• Soils: pebbly clay topsoil over hard limestone substrata
• Cool nocturnal air from the plateau above moderates the site

Wines from Les Gaudichots are concentrated, powerful, and tannic, reflecting both the site's limestone-driven structure and the ripeness that the south-facing morning exposure encourages. On the nose, expect red and black fruits including strawberry, raspberry, cassis, and blueberry, evolving with age toward animal notes of leather and earthy tones of mushroom, humus, and forest floor. The influence of hard limestone substrata contributes a firm backbone and the kind of age-worthiness that warrants patience. These are wines that reward cellaring and bear a stylistic kinship with their Grand Cru neighbor La Tâche.

Six owners share the three discontinuous plots that make up Les Gaudichots today. Notable producers include Domaine Forey Père et Fils, Machard de Gramont, and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. DRC's holdings here are particularly notable given the estate's central role in the 1932 court ruling that reshaped the climat. Production volumes are extremely small given the total area involved, making wines from Les Gaudichots genuinely rare in the marketplace.

• Six owners divide three non-contiguous plots
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti holds a portion, reflecting the site's legal history
• Domaine Forey Père et Fils and Machard de Gramont are other notable producers
• Tiny total area makes these wines scarce