Site: the smallest Grand Cru vineyard of Morey (except for the parcel of Bonnes-Mares), Clos Saint-Denis is located north of the village. Like all the other Grand Crus of Morey and Gevrey, it has a due east exposure.History & tradition: according to tradition, the monks from the Church of Saint-Denis de Vergy (hence the name) planted this vineyard at the beginning of the 13th Century.Soil: brown limestone on a Middle Jurassic layer; strewn with angular, flat stones that resemble broken china.
Viticulture
Plantation density: 10,000 vinestocks/ha in order to extract as much as possible from the terroir and limit the production of each vine stock.Pruning: Guyot.Yield: 36 hl/ha - purposely low, in order for the grapes to reveal every nuance of the terroir.Grape Supply: grapes and wines provided by regular supply partners.
Vinification
Maceration:
maceration and vinification take 2 to 3 weeks
indigenous yeasts
maceration and fermentation temperatures under total control
Joseph Drouhin seeks total control of the process of extraction; extraction gives colour and substance but should never be detrimental to the finesse and typical character of the wine.
Ageing
Type: in barrels (20% in new oak)Length: 14 to 18 monthsOrigin of the wood: French oak forestsWeathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation, barrel by barrel. The data obtained is then completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin
"Deep ruby red colour. On the nose, aromas of ripe cherry, lightly spiced up by a touch of cigar and exotic wood. With age, the aromas take on animal or gamey notes. The best time to drink a Clos Saint Denis is when the wine is mature (5 to 10 years of age, depending on the vintages) in order to enjoy the perfect harmony that exists between acidity, "gras" (velvety texture) and tannin. A lingering aftertaste of candied fruit is characteristic of this delicious wine".
Serving
Temperature: 16°C (61-62°F).Cellaring: 5 to 15 years.
