
Overview
- Clos St.-Jacques is a Premier Cru vineyard known for red wine production of the Pinot Noir grape, located within the Gevrey-Chambertin Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in the Côtes de Nuits sub-region of the Côte d’Or in Burgundy.
- Surface Area: 6.7 ha [1]
- Annual Production: 2,950 cases [2]
- Owners: 5 [2]
History & Etymology
- It is said there used to be a small chapel in this area & that the name of several vineyards here has ‘St.-Jacques’ as part of their name.
- Left out of Grand Cru status due to the fact that only climats contiguous with Chambertin & Clos de Bèze would be considered for top rank.
- Lavalle’s 1855 ranking puts it in Gevrey’s 2nd division, just beneath Chambertin and Clos de Bèze.
Geography & Climate
- Location: [2]
- Located in the swathe of Premier Crus which form a semi-circle to the north of the road leading through the Combe Lavaux to Chamboeuf.
- Occupies a steep-ish vertical strip extending from top to bottom of the slope.
- Exposed/faces southeast at a similar elevation as the upper portions of Chambertin and Clos de Bèze.
- Terroir: [2]
- The geology is split into two sections: Upslope and Downslope
- Upslope: Contains significant proportions of Ostrea acuminata marls & Calcaire à Entroques.
- The Entroques outcrop makes for very thin, stony soils.
- There is a third faulted section of hard, pink Prémeaux limestone towards the bottom.
- Downslope: Some Prémeaux limestone in the southeast corner (but no Comblanchien).
- Run-off accumulates more readily, so soils are finer-grained and less stony.
- Soil erosion is a problem here; as is the wind funneling down the Combe de Lavaux.
- The wind causes the vineyard to be cool in comparison with those outside the influence of the Combe de Lavaux, especially in the summer evenings.
- The Clos’ southerly wall provides an element of protection from the winds.
- The wind causes the vineyard to be cool in comparison with those outside the influence of the Combe de Lavaux, especially in the summer evenings.
- Upslope: Contains significant proportions of Ostrea acuminata marls & Calcaire à Entroques.
- The geology is split into two sections: Upslope and Downslope
Style of Wine
- Dry Red Wine from Pinot Noir
- Can be easily mistaken for a Chambertin.
- The wine has poise & balance and is rich, full and tightly structured, often with a strong mineral undertone.
Notable Domaines
- Armand Rousseau (2.22 ha)
- Michel & Sylvie Esmonin (1.60 ha)
- Bruno Clair (1 ha)
- The Clair-Dau estate was split in 1985 resulting in equal plots belonging to Bruno Clair & Louis Jadot.
- Louis Jadot (1 ha)
- Jean-Marie Fourrier (.89 ha)
Food & Culture
- Write about the food and culture of this region as it relates to wine.
Sources
Please cite where you found the information for this article. We recommend Easybib.com.
[1] Coates, Clive. Wines of Burgundy. University Presses of California, 2008.
[2] Norman, Remington. Grand Cru; The Great Wines of Burgundy Through the Perspective of Its Finest Vineyards. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2011.