2017 Comte De Vogue: A Burgundy Institution Shows Stable, Solid, And Reliable Trends

Burgundy Grand Cru is on the agenda, and there is much to suggest that the number of such visits is decreasing. Recent vintages have seen steadily diminishing crop yields, and while much effort is being put into fighting the challenge, the world needs to get used to a Burgundy with more variation.

Here you have the opportunity to invest in the 2017 Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares, which can rightly be described as both a reliable and stable freight train that has performed solidly. The question is thus not whether future wine lovers want Comte de Vogue, but rather what they can possibly get from Vogue and Burgundy wine in general. Read much more about the potential below.

Comte De Vogue: The Count Of The Magnificent Landholdings

Domaine Comte de Vogue is one of the most prominent domains in Burgundy. In 1450, Jean Moisson built the original building that would house what would later become the Domanie Comte de Vogue, and thus began the story of a domain that has followed the women of the family generation after generation since the beginning. It was not until 1766, when Cathrine Bouhier married General Cecrice-Melchior de Vogue, that the female line of succession was changed.

The domain's existence thus extends 500 years, and even in Burgundy it is quite a unique sight.

The French Revolution deprived the nobility of titles and properties, but the family managed to keep their valuable domain in Burgundy. Although the family history itself is sentional, it was only when Comte (Count) Georges de Vogues took over the domain in 1925 that the starting signal for success sounded in earnest. He was joined by his daughter Elisabeth, who introduced a nature-based wine philosophy and hired a new winemaker.

Furthermore, she focused on both sales and marketing. Her fine craftsmanship, sublime business acumen and magical land holdings melded into worldwide success. 

Today, Elisabeth's daughters have deservedly taken over the controls, and they run the domain with the same quality, gentle and highly professional hand that Elisabeth did.

The magnificent land holdings include 1.8 hectares on the Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny, 7.25 hectares on the Grand Cru Musigny and 2.75 hectares on the Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares, which is the subject of this investment tip.

Bonnes-Mares is one of the most fragmented Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy, largely due to French inheritance laws that dictate the land must be shared equally between descendants. As a result, there are many inhabitants on the 15 hectares in total. Residents include prominent producers such as Domaine Geroge Comte de Vogue, Joseph Drouhin, Domaine Dujac, domaine d'auvenay (Leroy) and Domaine G. Roumier. 

With 2.7 hectares, Vogue is allowed to produce a maximum of 12,600 bottles per vintage, but the vast majority of Burgundy producers prioritise quality over quantity. Either way, 12,600 bottles per vintage is a very limited quantity, which fits perfectly into a Burgundy narrative where quantities cannot possibly satisfy demand.

2017 Comte De Vogue Bonnes-Mares: Successor To Super Vintages

The 2017 vintage in Burgundy is both reasonable and mediocre, coming on the back of two very unique vintages - notably the 2015 and 2016 vintages. The 2016 vintage was even marked by a significantly lower overall production due to spring frosts. There has been a massive shortage of available volumes in both 2015 and 2016, which is why the 2017 vintage was more than welcome - the question is whether the volumes here have been able to quench the thirst.

The above scenario matches nicely with the scores released on the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares. Across Burghound, Wine Advocate and Vinous, the 2015 vintage has scored 94.7 points, the 2016 has scored 94.3 points and this 2017 vintage has scored 92.7 points.

This means that the 2017 vintage has been a vintage that has been available on top of two super vintages that have been decimated. 2017 was not the best in this company, but the price reflects that too. The unknown factor is consumption - how much 2017 Comte de Vogue is actually left?

A Solid Freight Train With Understated Potential

Vogues Bonnes-Mares is a bit of a funny character. It is neither the best, the most expensive nor the rarest. It actually hides a bit in the crowd, but still has the character of a freight train - stable, reliable, and has over the past few years performed solidly.

If we look at the vintages that are most comparable in terms of quality to the 2017 vintage, the trend is as follows:

Development of the average offer price according to wine-searcher.com since release (points - average of BH, WA and VI):

• Vintage 2014 (93.0p): +8.3% average annual return since March 2016
• Vintage 2013 (93.0p): +6.8% average annual return since March 2015
• Vintage 2011 (92.7p): +6.6% average annual return since March 2013

The experienced investor might agree that a steady return of +7% per year at low risk is not the worst, but in fact these three examples have underperformed the market. The Liv-ex Burgundy 150 index has returned an average of 12.8% per year over the past 10 years.

This in itself shows that Vogue Bonnes-Mares has an understated and untapped potential. But what makes it extra interesting, and what could be the catalyst that moves 2017 Bonnes-Mares from a prospect as a stable, solid investment to one with more momentum, is the prognosis in Burgundy.

According to the British wine exchange Liv-ex, recent vintages in Burgundy have seen lower and lower yields, and the 2021 vintage has seen the lowest yield since 1981, due to unexpected spring frosts in Burgundy. Just as the 2016 vintage, as mentioned, was also a big problem, yield-wise. Despite attention to the problem from the BIVB (Trade association representing, defending and promoting wines from the Burgundy region), the resources allocated to address the issue of climate change (Budget increased from €1 million to €3 million by 2025) seem by no means enough. It would therefore seem that the world will have to get used to more variation in the supply of Burgundy wine, particularly the negative, which will by its very nature make existing volumes even more valuable.

RareWine Invest Opinion

It is a fact that Comte de Vogue is a prominent producer in Burgundy, and this is of course in itself a massive quality marker when it comes to wine investment. This is even a Grand Cru, of which in this case a maximum of 12,600 bottles may only be produced. However, there is a big question mark on how many bottles may be remaining in the market, as the 2017 vintage came as an available follow-up to a decimated and otherwise expensive 2016 vintage. The fact is, of course, that there are not the same numbers as at release.

Add to this the fact that the Comte de Vogue has performed solidly and has the character of a reliable and stable freight train.

But this is one thing. It is very much about the future availability of good Burgundy and whether or not you can get your hands on Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares. Burgundy production has been declining, demand the opposite and there is no sign of this changing.

This is your opportunity to secure investment in the very thing that looks likely to become an even greater scarce commodity in the future.