Terroir Insight: Domaine Cathiard Aux Malconsorts

One of the most acclaimed 1er crus made in Vosne-Romanee is the Aux Malconsorts from Domaine Sylvain Cathiard.

The quality of the Cathiard wines has improved rapidly over the last dacade, and with Sebastien Cathiard in charge since the 2011 vintage, Cathiard is now among the very very best producers in Vosne-Romanee.

Photo: Sebastian Cathiard – Domaine Cathiard

In my view the Malconsorts is sort of a signature wine for this fine domaine … yes I know the RSV is better … but it’s still possible to find and pay for the Malconsort and experience the Cathiard magic.

So lets take a closer look at the terrior behind the Cathiard Aux Malconsorts.

Early history of Vosne-Romanee Malconsorts

Some sources indicate that the Les Malconsorts vineyard was established relatively late – as it was transformed from scrubland to vineyard in 1610⁷. According to the Burgundian etymologist Marie-Hélène Landrieu-Lussigny the name Mal-consorts refers to “a patch of ground covered with thorny brush that is difficult to clear”⁶. There is however also, according to Allen Meadows, evidence that a part of Malconsorts was established already in 1482 …

Despite the name and the previous vegetation – Lavalle¹ (1855) considered Les Malconsorts to be among the very best vineyards in Vosne-Romanne – giving it a “Premiere Cuvee” rating along with Romanee Saint-Vivant, Les Gaudichots, La Grande Rue, Les Verroilles sous Richebourg , Les Beaux-Monts, Combe Brulee, Aux Brulees and Les Suchots. Quite many of these are now classified as grand cru.

The names Les Malconsorts and Aux Malconsorts are currently both being used for wines from this vineyard. It is not to be confused with the Au-dessus des Malconsorts – a 1.08 ha vineyard located just above Malconsorts.

The area of Malconsorts seem to have been relatively stable over the years – the current area of 5.86 ha is just marginally lover than the area (5 ha, 94 ares and 95 cents) mentioned by Lavalle in 1855.

Aux Malconsort is located just south of the mighty La Tâche on the border to Nuits-Saint-Georges – see map below, where the Cathiard plot is indicated with a red dot.

The current ownership on Aux Malconsorts

The Cathiard plot on Malconsorts is located in the top middle part of the vineyard – no 4 on the map below. The plot is 0.7435 ha, and is north of the plot of Hudelot-Noellat and south of one of the plots owned by the Montille family.

Below is list over the current owners on Aux Malconsorts corresponding to the numbers on the map:

1. Domaine du Clos Frantin (Albert Bichot) – 1.7766 ha
2. Domaine Montille – 1.3700 ha
3. Domaine Dujac – 1.3313 ha
4. Domaine Sylvain Cathiard – 0.7435 ha
5. Domaine Lamarche – 0.4999 ha
6. Domaine Hudelot Noellat – 0.1370 ha

The Cathiard plot was according to Clive Coates acquired from a Felix Noëllat in 1970⁹ – and was replanted in 1972. This makes sense since the plot is located next to the Hudelot-Noellat plot … which also originates from the Noëllat holdings.