1997 Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parizot Morey-St.-Denis

Domaine Philippe Charlopin-Parziot is a 75-acre estate with vineyards in the Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune and Chablis. Philippe Charlopin-Parziot inherited 5 acres from his father in 1976 and has been adding to his domaine ever since. He owns Grand Cru parcles in Corton Charlemagne, Chambertin, Charmes Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, Clos Vougeot, Clos St. Denis, Bonnes Mares and Echezeaux. The domaine also has some Premier Crus and numerous village 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.