Morey Saint-Denis

The appellation d'origine contrôlée Morey Saint-Denis is a village appellation in the Côte de Nuits, Côte-d'Or. The appellation comprises 20 climats classified as Premier Cru.

Rich in Premier Crus and Grand Crus (Clos de Tart, Bonnes Mares, Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos des Lambrays), Morey-Saint-Denis forms the very personal transition between the wines of Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny on the Côte de Nuits. Marked by the powerful Maison de Vergy, the abbeys of Cîteaux and Tart, and the great Burgundian families, the village's history is intertwined with that of its wine. "We can say that it lacks nothing", wrote Dr. Lavelle as early as 1855. The appellation d'origine contrôlée was instituted in 1936.

The vines grow on limestone and clay-limestone soils from the Middle Jurassic period: white oolite from the Bathonian period at the top of the hillside, entrusted limestone from the Bajocian period at the bottom of the slope. Facing east, it lies between 220 and 270 meters above sea level. Below the village, the combe changes some of the exposure, making the soil more marly.

Most of the vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir. However, a few plots are planted with Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc: a rare and interesting white wine, generally quite firm and opulent. Red: the most usual color is full-bodied, with a strong ruby, carmine or intense garnet hue and purplish tints. The bouquet is divided between black fruit (blackcurrant, blueberry) and red stone fruit (cherry). Variations include sloe, bramble, violet, carnation, licorice and fruit in brandy. With age, it often evokes hunting (leather, moss, game) and truffles. Sustained and well-structured, this wine awaits you on the palate with a firm hand: the right balance between the strength of the body and the expression of the fruit. A tenor voice in the Burgundian choir, it knows how to round out its tannins and offer generous flesh.