Top 10 Monopoles According To Me

Most of these are in Burgundy and to a lesser degree Champagne but all are exclusively owned by one estate. Usually in Burgundy a number of estates have vines in 1er Cru and Grand Cru vineyards but a monopole is exactly that, a monopoly of one vineyard by only one estate. That does not necessarily mean all monopoles are great but in general they tend to be very good to great to profound once in a lifetime wine experiences. In Champagne single vineyard wines are a newish thing and the monopoles ones I could think of are obviously tops. I'm sure there are others I do not know about. I believe there are only 28 monopoles in Champagne but could not find that via a google search. It was told to me a few years ago. Anyway, it's around 28, which is much rarer than Burgundy where it is in the 60's or more. Most of this list is obvious but also maybe a few things you did not know about.

These are in no particular order.

1. Krug Clos du Mesnil - This is the granddaddy of all Clos' in Champagne. Champagne's Romanee Conti. It is released late and has gone from somewhat not affordable to absurdly unaffordable in a relatively short period of time. I drank a nice amount of the 1990 as it was in that first window of unaffordableness. It is so elegant, so packed and sappy, with intense thrust and acid spine like nothing else in Champagne. It smells and tastes like the most regal thing you have ever had with every sip. Only Krug can make a wine like this. And it is the greatest Clos in Champagne but I have not tasted the only afforded by billionaire's Clos du Ambonnay. Which is the Pinot Noir version of Clos du Mesnil.
2. Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache - This has to be the best 2nd act in wine. I mean La Tache,  no matter how great, how spellbinding will always play 2nd fiddle to Romanee Conti's Romanee Conti. That's what happens when you're the Drysdale to Koufax. But damn, Drysdale was great! As is La Tache. It even seems less cool than RC when you are there. The sign is a bit more hidden by wear and tear and blends into the wall more, whilst the Romanee Conti sign has better upkeep. And a sign next to it saying respect this land by not waking in it. There is no barrier. But La Tache is its own thing with its famous spice, Asian soy, asian spice profile. It has terrific energy and dense sweet fruit and ridiculously refined tannins. There is nothing like it. But having has both, I prefer the Romanee Conti.
3. Domaine de la Romanee Conti Romanee Conti - Allegedly the most expansive piece of real estate in the world. If so, the trust between the public and DRC is a might impressive thing. There are no barriers and what strikes you is it's plainness. Obviously it is cared for, but it's rather humble looking. That's the only humble thing about this slice of heaven. I've been lucky to have 3 vintages and it is without question the greatest red wine in the world. Still need to have an older one. It has a spherical nature to it that no other wine has. It's hard to explain how perfect the palate is. But it's one of those wines that just exceeds all your expectations of what wine can be. I'm very lucky. This nudges Clos du Mesnil as the greatest monopole in the world.  
4. Philliponnat Clos des Goisses - Another check for Champagne. The Clos des Goisses is a special site that is Pinot Noir based and in Mareuil-sur-Ay. A perfectly situated hillside that creates powerful, mineral  and very ageworthy Champagnes that can be wonderful in their youth but extended cellaring transforms these into something profound. They also make an ultra rare rose from the Clos des Goisses.  I've never tasted that.
5. Comte Liger Belair La Romanee - Liger Belair used to make this back at the turn of the century but then Bouchard got it. They shared it for some years and Bouchard made many uninspiring vintages and now it is back in control of Liger Belair and the La Romanee is back to its rightful place as the "other Romanee Conti." I've tasted a few in crowded settings many years ago but people I know who work with this wine tell me it is right up there next to RC. That is high high praise. That is why it is on this list.
6. Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Clos des Porrets St. Georges - Always one of the most structured in a lineup of very structured wines. Terrific energy, precision, deep sappy fruit and drive. One of the the most slept on monopoles in all of Burgundy.
7. Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux - One of the few Grand Cru Pommards in my opinion. Needs at least a decade to share its tannic cloak and is perfectly situated on the right side of the road and towards the bottom of the hill. Very poor limestone soils yield wines or immense structure and spice that can last for 50-70 years in the right vintage. One of the larger monopoles in France.
8. La Pousse d'Or Volnay Clos des 60 Ouevres - This monopole is within Caillerets and north/upslope of normal Caillerets. The vines are 45 years old on average with poor soil which is broken up rocks which gives a silky elegant and super classic expression of Volnay. For me this is the wine in the Pousse d'Or lineup and needs at least a decade to show well. An 08 started to drink really well earlier this year.
9. Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin  "Clos des Ruchottes" - This is above Mazis Chambertin and actually has 3 distinct areas, the Ruchottes Bas, the Ruchottes Haut and the Clos des Ruchottes which is the monopole of Rousseau. It is the same level as Chambertin and a veiny rock formation separates the Clos des Ruchottes from the Ruchottes Haut and Bas. The soil is poor with limestone and red marl. The vines dig deep and you get an elegant and super mineral wine with lovely deep aromas and almost a feminine example of Grand Cru Gevrey. Silky and elegant and very fine. Shows it's breeding very well.
10. Domaine de la Perriere Fixin Clos de la Perriere - This site situated on top of a hill past Geverey and than past Comblanchien is one of the more unusual monopoles in all of Burgundy. It is 1er Cru but the owner believes the wine is Grand Cru quality and after having tasted multiple vintages I'd agree. Also 100 years ago it was classified as a "tete de cuvée" which meant Grand Cru quality. It is now fighting for Grand Cru quality and has a long 70-100 year road ahead of it but the process has started. The white is almost like a Corton-Charlemagne whilst the red is like a Mazis-Chambertin. Also it is priced like a Grand Cru.