2010 Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche

Olivier Bernstein is a small negociant in Beaune. It was created in 2007 by Olivier Bernstein, who gave up a career in music management to pursue winemaking. He earned a degree in viticulture in Beaune, then in 2002 purchased a 20-acre wine estate in Roussillon, where he made wines under the Mas de la Deveze label. But his interest in Burgundy took him back to Beaune, where he now makes very limited amounts of Grand and Premier Crus from parcels in Chambertin, Bonnes-Mares, Mazis-Chambertin, Clos de la Roche, Clos Vougeot, Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny.

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.