2005 Pierre Amiot Clos St. Denis

Domaine Pierre Amiot et Fils has been producing wines in Morey St. Denis for five generations. The 25-acre domain has Grand Cru parcels in Clos-Saint-Denis, Clos de la Roche and Charmes Chambertin. There are also Premier Cru parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis. The estate is now run by brothers Didier and Jean-Louis Amiot. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that the domaine produces “wonderfully fruity, elegant wines…”

Clos St.-Denis is a 16-acre Grand Cru vineyard in the Morey St.-Denis appellation in Northern Burgundy. In fact the village of Morey St.-Denis gets part of its name from this vineyard. In 1927 the village voted to add St.-Denis to Morey. Like its neighboring Grand Cru vineyards, Clos St.-Denis is rocky, well-drained, and composed largely of limestone and pebbles. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that three of “the greatest Burgundies I have ever tasted” came from this vineyard. (They were produced by Dujac, Ponsot and Georges Lignier.) The largest landholders are Georges Lignier, with 3.7 acres; Dujac, with 3.68 acres; and Drouhin, with 1.8 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.