2018 Domaine Prieure-Roch Vosne-Romanee Les Clous

Domaine Prieure-Roch was established in 1988 when Henry-Frédéric Roch exercised the right of first refusal on a few acres of famous vineyards in Romanee Saint-Vivant and purchased the land. As with so much in Burgundy, the story of these vineyards is intertwined with famous domaines and legendary winemaking families. Henry-Frédéric Roch is the nephew of Lalou Bize-Leroy, one of Burgundy’s most successful and colorful winemakers, and Roch is also a co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Roch enlarged his holdings and today he has 35 acres of Grand Cru, Premier Cru and villages parcels in Clos de Vougeot, Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saints-Georges. Yannick Champ is winemaker.

Vosne-Romanée is the most prestigious appellation in Burgundy. Its 449 acres of vineyards are in and around the village of Vosne-Romanée and they include renowned Grand Cru vineyards which produce some of the world’s most coveted – and costly —wines. The Grands Crus are Richebourg, La Romanée, Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Saint-Vivant and La Tâche. The Grand Crus Échezeaux and Grands- Échezeaux are actually located in the neighboring village of Flagey-Échezeaux, but legally they can be sold under the Vosne-Romanée appellation. There are also seventeen Premier Crus in Vosne-Romanée. Wine writer Clive Coates has called Vosne-Romanée “the greatest Pinot Noir village on earth” and notes that the appellation’s style “is for wines which are rich, austere, sensual, masculine and aristocratic.”

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.