Clos de la Roche

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The Clos de la Roche is classified as a Grand Cru vineyard on the Côte d'Or in the French wine-growing region of Burgundy . It is located in the municipality of Morey-Saint-Denis and has its own appellation . This covers an area of ​​16.9 hectares . Only red wine is produced . The name alludes to the numerous boulders with which the ground is interspersed.

Location, climate and soil

The Clos de la Roche is located on a gently sloping eastern slope at a height of 270 to 300 m above sea level . In the north it borders on the premier cru location Aux Combottes of Gevrey-Chambertin , to the south it is followed by the Clos Saint-Denis . In addition to the historic Clos de la Roche (4.56 ha), the appellation also includes the Monts-Luisants-Bas (3.74 ha), Les Mochamps (2.56 ha), Les Froichots , Les Fremières and Les Chabiots vineyards . It consists of 110 parcels shared by around 40 owners. The largest shares are owned by the domains of Jean-Marie Ponsot (3.4 ha), Dujac (1.95 ha), Pierre Amiot (1.2 ha) and Georges Lignier (1 ha) , located in Morey-Saint-Denis . There are also 1.65 hectares of Coquard-Loison-Fleurot from Flagey-Echézeaux and 1.48 hectares from Domaine Armand Rousseau from Gevrey-Chambertin. In 1989 the Domaine Leroy acquired 0.67 hectares, and since 1991 the Hospices de Beaune have owned 0.44 hectares in the Clos de la Roche ( Cuvèe Georges Kritter ). The area was acquired with the help of a legacy from the co-founder of the Kriter sparkling wine brand . Most of the plots are oriented across the slope.

The climate is assigned to the Burgundian transitional climate, in which continental influences predominate over maritime ones. The mostly dry and hot summers allow the Pinot Noir to ripen, but great vintages are only created when there is no rain in autumn to impair the harvest. Due to the pure eastern location, the microclimate is relatively cool, but at the same time protected from late frosts.

The Clos de la Roche has a brown, chalky floor covering that is only 30 cm thick in places. Among them are large pieces of rock ( roches ), which gave the location its name. The Jura underbody dates from the era of Bajocian . Its clay content corresponds to that of the Clos Saint-Denis and the Chambertin.

Wine

The Clos Saint-Denis is usually made exclusively from Pinot Noir . As more varieties are Pinot Liébault and Pinot Beurot admitted. Theoretically, up to 15% white grapes ( Chardonnay , Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc ) can be used. The natural alcohol content must be at least 11.5% by volume. The chaptalization is - as everywhere in Burgundy - allowed. The annual base yield is 35 hectoliters per hectare. This value may be exceeded by a maximum of 20%. In the years 2000 to 2004 an average of 589 hectoliters was produced annually, i.e. 36 hl / ha. The Grand Cru delivers a good 76,500 bottles per year.

Wine connoisseurs refer to the Clos de la Roche wines as potentially the most powerful, deep and long-lasting of Morey-Saint-Denis. In good vintages the wine can develop a dark ruby ​​red color and a complex, fruity bouquet . It then has a great taste intensity. However, the stylistic and qualitative differences between the individual producers are considerable, which is why wine connoisseurs generally avoid generalizations.

history

A walling of the vineyard , to which the part of the name “ Clos ” usually indicates, probably never existed. In the Middle Ages, the word "Clos" was rather a general term for a vineyard in Burgundy. In 1855, Dr. Jules Lavalle used the vineyard as a 1ère Cuvée , i.e. as a prime location. Similar to Clos Saint-Denis, it became a "peasant" vineyard in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today most of the vineyards are owned by winemakers from the municipality of Morey-Saint-Denis. The vineyards, especially in Grand Cru locations, have increased in value enormously in recent decades. In 1990 the hectare in the Clos de la Roche was valued at 15 million francs (a good 2.3 million euros ), at the same price level as Bonnes Mares , but above the Clos Saint-Denis.

The Clos de la Roche received the status of a Grand Cru in 1936. The decree on the Appellation Contrôlée also covers the neighboring Grands Crus Bonnes Mares and Clos Saint-Denis. By adding several neighboring locations, the Clos de la Roche was expanded from 4.57 to 15.34 hectares. The neighboring locations were not necessarily considered to be of equal quality, the delimitation was primarily the result of a lengthy local political tug-of-war. In 1971 it was enlarged again by 0.95 hectares: the Genavrières site , wedged between Grands Crus , was added to it.

literature

  • Jean-François Bazin: Chambertin. La Côte de Nuits de Dijon à Chambolle-Musigny . Jacques Legrand, Paris 1991, ISBN 2-905969-32-6 .
  • Benoît France (ed.): Grand Atlas des Vignobles de France . Solar, Paris 2002, ISBN 2-263-03242-8 .
  • Remington Norman: Cote d'Or. The big wineries in the heart of Burgundy. Hallwag Verlag, Bern 1996, ISBN 3-444-10470-7 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Remington Norman: Côte d'Or. The big wineries in the heart of Burgundy. Hallwag Verlag, Bern 1996, ISBN 3-444-10470-7 , p. 38f.
  2. ^ Decree on the Clos Saint-Denis, Clos de la Roche and Bonnes Mares appellations

Coordinates: 47 ° 12 '13 "  N , 4 ° 57' 44.7"  E