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Roche grapes

Roche, also known as Clos de la Roche is the grandest of Morey- St- Denis’ Grands Crus. It is also a very prominent Cote de Nuits AOC.

The ownership of Clos de la Roche is shared between many producers. But, the best wine is produced by only a few.

It is basically an Appellation d’origines controlee for the red wine in the Cote de Nuits area of Burgundy; Pinot noir being the major grape variety.

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Roche is located in community of Morey- St- Denis in Cote-d’ Or department  at the northern most part stretching to the boundaries of Gevrey- Chambertin and Grand cru vineyard Clos Saint- Denis to the south.

Towards the east is Route des Grands Crus. The AOC of this wine was created in the year 1936 and the term Clos which is a part of its name signals towards the vineyards that are enclosed by walls.

History

Going a little back in time, Clos de la Roche was not an enclosed vineyard. There were no walls surrounding it.

It got Clos in its name because of the fact that the other three vineyards were encapsulated by walls. So, it got Clos in its name attributing to the “peer pressure”.

It was one of the first few Burgundy Grands Crus during 1936, the time of original Grand Cru minting. Today, it is considered as the best vineyard offering the best quality as compared to its counterparts.

But, this was not the scenario about a hundred years ago. Clos St- Denis was rated better than Clos de la Roche.

Slowly and steadily, Clos de la Roche caught up and managed to get a secured place in the hearts of the people who already had Clos St- Denis in their favorite list. Today, both are considered equal.

Wines with Roche grapes

Viticulture and climate

The vineyards where Clos de la Roche lies are truly blessed with the favorable climate. The vineyard is at the north of Clos St- Denis.

Some vineyards are at the base of the slope. The soil here is pebbled. The small rocks are rich and chalky.

This character if soil lends the wine its character and depth. The soil is only 30 cm deep but, is enough to create an amazing wine with an amazing personality.

Production of wine

About 33.1 acres of the vineyard produce this variety. The total production is about 5,000 cases of wine per year.

Records have it that in the year 2008, about 33.1 acres (13.41 hectares) of vineyard was in production with the AOC and about 448 hectoliter (44,800 L) wine was made.

The largest area of land belongs to Domaine Ponsot. Domain Ponsot owns three out of four hectare of vineyard. In the year 2008, the made 108.6075 hectoliters wine under Clos de la Roche Grand Cru AOC.

The other producers include the likes of Domaine Dujac, Domaine Leroy, Domaine Michel Magnien, Dominique Laurent, Lignier Pere et Fils, Lucien Le Moine and Maison Olivier Bernstein.

Characteristic of the wine

It is best for the people who look for diversity. Each grand Cru producing the wine has its own statement characteristic and personality.

In general, the wine is plain ruby in color. Sometimes, it is a little darker hue, giving the shades of strawberry and violet.

A photo posted by Marcos (@marcosfonseca67) on

The attractive color of the wine makes it a hit among the wine lovers. When the wine is young, it is quite tannic and as it ages, it gains a certain softness and complexity.

The aged wine is outstandingly superb. The red or black fruit encapsulates the aroma of truffle and humus.

The wine is full- bodies when it matures completely. The tannic textures and rich aromas are the signature character of this wine. The string texture of the wine is very noticeable and caresses the buds in the very first sip.

Food pairing with Roche

The wine pairs best with Asian cuisines. It is also best served with soft- centered and strong- flavored cheese.

Serving Temperature of Roche

For the young wines, the apt serving temperature is about 12 to 13 degree Celsius and for mature wines the apt serving temperature is 15 to 16 degree Celsius.

Author

Michael Bredahl

Michael Bredahl

Wine Writer

Michael is an online enthusiast, with a lot of knowledge about online marketing. Traveling around the world to hunt for the perfect wine. Latest on Sicily, where Etna has a huge impact on the taste, which is strong with a bitter aftertaste for the youngest wines, but older wines are fantastic. Drinking wine, and writing about them, are one the passions. Remember to drink responsibly 🙂

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