2020 Prosper Maufoux Domaine Vigne Au Roy Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits 750 ml

Coaxing this beloved 2020 Prosper Maufoux out of France was no small feat, but we’re immensely glad we managed to pry an allocation out of the estate’s 161-year-old cellars, because this kind of Burgundy character almost never comes at a price like this.

Our first introduction to the Domaine Vigne au Roy came at a glitzy high-rise affair in Dallas, where a big-name art collector was pouring a few rarities from her storied wine cellar. On the table were more Insta-worthy labels than we could count, yet it was this seductive ruby number from Prosper Maufoux that triggered our dealmaking instincts.

Thanks to those instincts, we locked in this ageworthy gem. Sourced from the hautes côtes (“high slopes”) of Pinot Noir’s spiritual home, the nose shows unmistakable Old World pedigree. Perfumes of dried roses, black cherries, and herbs lead to deepening flavors on the palate. It’s lush and laced with a beautiful acidity that elevates the long-lasting finish.  

The Vigne au Roy Vineyard furnished the grapes for this bottle, where topsoil is thin to the point of being almost nonexistent, allowing the clay-limestone soils to absorb warmth and maintain excellent drainage. 2020—a vintage Decanter’s Charles Curtis MW called “exceptional” and rated 4.5 out of five—lent powerful muscularity and silky fruit. The last vintage we offered merited a stunning 4.2-star average from our members, and this edition promises even more deliciousness in its youth.

Dislodging this bottle from its native habitat in the north of the Côte d’Or took all our charm and patience. It paid off with the kind of value that you rarely see for red Burgundy of this quality.