Domaine Y. Clerget – 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Verseuil

Domaine Y. Clerget – 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Verseuil.

A refined and radiant Volnay that captures the estate’s hallmark elegance with impressive precision. Clos du Verseuil is one of Thibaud Clerget’s most intimate and expressive Premier Crus, and in 2019 it offers an alluring combination of purity, finesse, and youthful vibrancy. This wine by Domaine Y. Clerget embodies the grace of Volnay while revealing the quiet power that makes the village’s best sites so captivating.

About the Winery

Domaine Y. Clerget has deep roots in the Côte de Beaune, tracing its lineage back to the 13th century. Few domaines in Burgundy can claim such an unbroken family history, and yet the estate today feels notably revitalized under the stewardship of Thibaud Clerget, who assumed control in 2015 as the 28th generation of the family.

Thibaud brought a fresh, detail-driven vision while honoring the domaine’s traditional foundations. Farming is attentive and increasingly aligned with organic principles, prioritizing balance in the vineyard over intervention in the cellar. Winemaking is deliberately gentle: careful sorting, moderate use of whole clusters depending on vintage and parcel, and an élevage conducted predominantly in used French oak to preserve transparency of fruit and terroir.

The domaine’s holdings, centered in Volnay and Pommard, span several of the region’s most expressive terroirs. Among these, Clos du Verseuil stands out as a particularly distinctive Premier Cru: a small, enclosed vineyard intimately tied to the domaine’s identity and accessible only through their parcel. With its renewed energy, precise craftsmanship, and unwavering commitment to elegance, Domaine Y. Clerget has firmly reasserted itself among the rising stars of the Côte de Beaune.

About the Vineyard

Clos du Verseuil is a secluded Premier Cru situated directly above the famed Clos de la Chapelle in Volnay, forming part of the village’s most harmonious slope exposures. This is a monopole-like parcel in practical terms—Domaine Clerget is the sole producer—giving them complete control over farming and selection.

The terroir blends fine clay with fractured limestone, offering both suppleness and tension. Exposure is ideal, capturing gentle morning sun while avoiding excessive heat, a crucial advantage in warmer vintages. The result is a vineyard known for delivering wines of seductive perfume, silky texture, and a mineral-driven spine that elevates Volnay’s natural elegance.

Clos du Verseuil consistently produces Volnays with understated depth and remarkable finesse, rewarding both early enjoyment and mid-term cellaring.

About the Wine

2019 brought a combination of ripe fruit, concentration, and lifted acidity to the Côte de Beaune, and Clos du Verseuil benefitted beautifully from this balance.

In the glass, the wine shows a luminous ruby hue. The nose is aromatic and precise, opening with red cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate, interwoven with rose petals, peony, and a touch of sweet spice. Subtler nuances of crushed limestone and a hint of forest floor add complexity as the wine evolves in the glass.

The palate is vibrant and pure, marked by supple tannins and a refined, silken mouthfeel. Red fruit flavors remain at the core, supported by lively acidity and an elegant mineral thread that runs the length of the wine. There is a quiet confidence to its structure: nothing overstated, yet all components perfectly aligned. The finish is long, lifted, and delicately floral, echoing the finesse that defines both the vineyard and the vintage.

Accessible now with a short decant, this wine will continue to gain nuance over the next 8–10 years.

Conclusion

The 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Verseuil from Domaine Y. Clerget is a beautifully executed expression of Volnay—graceful, aromatic, and marked by precision. It showcases the sensitivity of Thibaud Clerget’s winemaking and the unique character of this discreet yet exceptional vineyard. A wine that delights in youth and promises further refinement with time.

We award this wine a 94-point DWA score—a luminous, terroir-driven Volnay with exceptional charm and clarity.

This review is written by our own Niels Aarts. The wine is sourced at Cote & Cave, Restaurant Het Koetshuis.

Taste Date:          September 2025 

Website:             Domaine Y. Clerget