1996 Domaine Prieure-Roch Chambertin Clos de Beze

Domaine Prieure-Roch was established in 1988 when Henry-Frédéric Roch exercised the right of first refusal on a few acres of famous vineyards in Romanee Saint-Vivant and purchased the land. As with so much in Burgundy, the story of these vineyards is intertwined with famous domaines and legendary winemaking families. Henry-Frédéric Roch is the nephew of Lalou Bize-Leroy, one of Burgundy’s most successful and colorful winemakers, and Roch is also a co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Roch enlarged his holdings and today he has 35 acres of Grand Cru, Premier Cru and villages parcels in Clos de Vougeot, Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saints-Georges. Yannick Champ is winemaker.

Chambertin Clos-de-Beze is a Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin, and its history goes back to the 7th century when it was owned by the monks of the Abbey of Beze. After the French Revolution the Catholic Church was forced to divide the vineyard among peasants. Today it is a 38-acre vineyard, making it slightly larger than Chambertin. Chambertin and Chambertin Clos-de-Beze are adjacent and share similar limestone, clay and gravel soils. Of the 18 proprietors, the largest by acreage are Pierre Damoy, 13.4 acres; Armand Rousseau, 3.5 acres; and Drouhin-Laroze, 3.48 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.