Winemaker Notes
Roche “rock” named for the presence of rocks that show on the surface of this soil.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Complex and aromatically nuanced, showing well-developed plummy fruit, with accents of earth, leather, smoke and spice. The initial feel on the palate is tannic and concentrated, but the wine is still approachable and supple, with a lovely, long line to the lingering finish. Superb wine. Dujac owns nearly 2ha here, scattered across six parcels and five of the different lieux-dits, including the original Clos de la Roche, Les Froichots, Les Fremières, Monts Luisants and Les Chabiots, giving a balanced view of this grand cru.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries and plums mingled with spices, sweet soils tones, vine smoke and petals, Dujac's 2020 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a pure, vibrant core of fruit that's framed by powdery tannins and lively acids. Serious and structured, though it's far from austere, this will richly reward patience. Rating: 96+
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Jasper Morris
Dark purple, with a mass of ripe but perfectly balanced dark raspberry fruit. To some extent there are more grainy tannins in the Clos de la Roche compared to its twin Clos St-Denis, but the fruit will easily outlast these. A touch of coconut. Long and fine. 78% whole bunch vinification.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
While Morey-St-Denis of Burgundy might not get the same attention as its neighbors, Gevrey-Chambertin to the north and Chambolle-Musigny to the south, there is no reason why it shouldn’t. The same line of limestone runs from the Combe de Lavaux in Gevrey—all the way through Morey—ending in Chambolle.
There are four grand cru vineyards, moving southwards from the border with Gevrey-Chambertin: Clos de la Roche, Clos St-Denis, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart and a small segment of Bonnes-Mares overlapping from Chambolle. Clos de la Roche is probably the finest vineyard, giving wines of true depth, body, and sturdiness for the long haul than most other vineyards.
Pinot Noir from Morey-St-Denis is known for its deep red cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry fruit. Aromas of spice, licorice and purple flowers are present in the wines’ youth, evolving to forest and game as the wine ages.