Terroir Insight: Domaine Dujac, Vosne Aux Malconsorts

Burgundy can be very complex with exceptions and historic changes to the appellations, giving some slightly odd borders between the vineyards, and the wines made. One of these wines is the Domaine Dujac, Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts – that due to historic reasons has a special add on of Les Gaudichots.

So lets go walkabout in the La Tâche outskirts.

Ownership history – from Marey to Dujac

The ownership history of Aux Malconsort is rather well documented via the three main sources – Lavalle, Danguy & Aubertin and Rodier.

In 1855 Lavalle¹ mentioned the following owners on Malconsorts: Lenoir, Marey and Moisenet-Meulien.

The ownership history before 1855 is somewhat unclear, but the Marey family could well have acquired the plots on Malconsorts shortly after the revolution i.e. late 18th century or early 19th century. Marey was well known as one of the major owners in Vosne-Romanee in the 19th century and onwards. Some of the vineyards were later included in the Liger-Belair holdings as Comte Louis Liger-Belair married the daughter of Guillaume Felix Marey and took over the management of C.Marey and Comte Liger-Belair in 1869 – at the death of Guillaume Felix Marey.

Danguy & Aubertin² mentioned the following owners in 1892: Dr Chanut, Liger-Belair and Veuve de Millot. The only remaining owner from 1855 was Liger-Belair (Marey).

Rodier (1920) showed a wider range of owners: Liger-Belair, Jacques Chambon, Henri Lamache, Grivelet-Modot and Mallbranche-Morand. Liger-Belair remained owner of the main part of the vineyard. New owner was Grivelet-Modot – most likely plots acquired from the Chanut estate together with the Frantin estate.

During the late 1920s and early 1930s the financial crises hit Burgundy and a lot of vineyards changed hands in this period.

The Liger-Belair vineyard holdings were auctioned away in 1933 and only a small selection of vineyards remained under the Liger-Belair ownership. The extensive holdings in Malconsorts were acquired by the Thomas-Moillard estate – including the plot located just next to the original La Tâche vineyard – the plot above the dotted line on the map below.