1990 Domaine des Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin

Domaine des Chezeaux is a 10-acre domaine in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. It has Grand Cru parcels in Griotte-Chambertin, Chambertin and Clos Saint-Denis, as well as several Premier Crus. The domain is owned by Chantal Nemes-Mercier, who inherited it from her father in 2000. She leases the parcels to several well-known winemakers, including Laurent Ponsot and Rene Leclerc. After 2002 labels for Domaine des Chezeaux note which of the “metayage” sharecropper/winemakers is responsible for each wine. Before 2002 it was not always clear who made which wine.

Griotte-Chambertin, sometimes spelled Griottes-Chambertin, is in Robert M. Parker Jr.’s words “a miniscule jewel of a vineyard” at just 6.7 acres. It is located across the road from Clos de Beze and produces only 800 cases of wine a year. The soil is extremely thin but the vineyard has excellent drainage, and wine writers all seem to agree that wines from Griotte-Chambertin are outstanding. Clive Coates writes that “Griotte has a poise and individuality that raises it above all but the very best Charmes.” Principal landholders are Ponsot/Domaine des Chezeaux, 2.23 acres; Rene Leclerc/Domaine des Chezeaux, 1.88 acres; and Joseph Drouhin, 1.33 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.