1996 Rene Leclerc Griotte-Chambertin

Rene Leclerc is a 25-acre estate in Gevrey-Chambertin. Rene and his younger brother, Philippe Leclerc, inherited their domains from their father in 1974 and have worked them separately ever since. Today Rene works with his son Francois. The estate has a Grand Cru parcel in Griotte-Chambertin, and Premier Crus in the Gevrey-Chambertin vineyards of La Combe au Moine, Lavaux-Saint-Jacques and Les Champeaux. There are also village crus.

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.