Clos Saint-Denis

The Clos Saint-Denis Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a Grand Cru appellation in the Côte de Nuits, in the Côte-d’Or.

In the Côte de Nuits, Morey-Saint-Denis is one of the villages with the highest concentration of Grand Cru vineyards. The Clos de Tart, which has remained a monopoly, was founded in 1141 by the Cistercian nuns of Tart. Since then, it has been part of only three successive estates! The Clos Saint-Denis dates back to the 11th century. It was founded by the canons of Vergy. The Clos de la Roche and the Clos des Lambrays, which are effectively held as monopolies, originated from historic foundations and the consolidation of several climats. Their Grand Cru designations were officially recognized on December 8, 1936; January 4, 1939 (Clos de Tart); and April 27, 1981 (Clos des Lambrays).Located at an altitude of approximately 250 meters and facing east, sometimes slightly east-southeast, these Grand Crus extend the family of Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus southward: the Clos de la Roche, followed by the Clos Saint-Denis, the Clos des Lambrays, and the Clos de Tart, before reaching the Bonnes Mares.

The Clos de la Roche is predominantly limestone: barely 30 centimeters of topsoil, few small stones, and large boulders that gave it its name. The Clos de Tart: scree largely covers the limestone subsoil (40 to 120 centimeters of topsoil). The Clos des Lambrays is marly in its upper section and clay-limestone in the lower part. The Clos Saint-Denis: at the bottom of the hillside, brown limestone soils devoid of gravel, with phosphorus present as in Chambertin and clay as in Musigny.

Clos Saint-Denis surprises less with its grandeur than with its nuances: the Mozart of the Côte de Nuits. Clos de la Roche is more assertive, very similar to Chambertin—serious and deep. Notes of humus and truffle often precede hints of red or black berries. A small portion of Bonnes Mares is produced within the commune, with the majority located in Chambolle-Musigny.