1999 Domaine Leroy Clos de la Roche

There are oenophiles who believe that Domaine Leroy produces the greatest wines in the world. The estate was founded in Burgundy in 1868 and today is owned and run by Lalou Bize-Leroy, a dynamo of a woman who represents the current generation of the founding family. Bize-Leroy is famous, among other reasons, for being an early adopter of biodynamic vineyard cultivation, meaning that there have been no chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides of any kind used in the Domaine Leroy production for many decades. The domaine, located in Vosne-Romanee, makes numerous wines, but is renowned for its Grand Crus and Premier Crus. Its Grand Crus are Corton-Charlemagne, Corton-Renardes, Richebourg, Romanee-St.-Vivant, Clos de Vougeot, Musigny, Clos de la Roche, Latricieres-Chambertin and Chambertin. The domaine has a total vineyard area of 56 acres which is planted in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aligote. Production is extremely limited, usually between 10,000 to 20,000 bottles.

Clos de la Roche is a 41-acre Grand Cru vineyard in the Morey St.-Denis appellation in the Cotes de Nuits, in northern Burgundy. The tiny village of Morey St.-Denis is just south of Gevrey-Chambertin and Clos de Roche is considered the appellation’s most superior Grand Cru. The vineyard’s elevation ranges from 270 to 300 meters, and its soil is extremely rocky with excellent drainage. The soil is largely limestone, and in some places it is barely a foot deep. Writer Clive Coates calls Clos de Roche “the classiest of the Morey Grand Crus.” The largest landholders are Ponsot with 8.35 acres; Dujac, 4.88 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.7 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.