Clos de la Roche Wine, Burgundy: 10 Best Bottles, Prices (2024)

Clos de la Roche is a Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits region. The vineyard, located in the northern part of the Morey St Denis village, exclusively produces Pinot Noir labels.

If you prefer vibrant, bold reds with opulent aromatics and flavors, a Clos de la Roche wine is the one for you!

In this article, we’ll explore the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru vineyard, its AOC regulations, winemaking process, and 10 exceptional wines to buy in 2024. We’ll also check out some great food pairings and the a of Clos de la Roche wines.

Clos de la Roche: Grand Cru Vineyard and AOC Regulations

Clos de la Roche is a 17-hectare Pinot Noir appellation, which includes seven more climats (vineyard sites) besides the main Clos de la Roche vineyard:

• Les Chabiots
• Les Chaffots
• Les Fremières
• Les Froichots
• Les Genavrières
• Les Mochamps
• Monts Luisants

The terroir consists of clay and limestone soils with ample sun exposure, which increases flavor concentration in the Pinot Noir grapes.

Clos de la Roche is one of Morey St Denis’s five Grands Crus.The other Grands Crus include Clos de Tart, Bonnes Mares, Clos Saint Denis, and Clos des Lambrays. 

The Morey St Denis AOC rules, applicable to Clos de la Roche, were introduced in 1936. These regulations are:

• Adding no more than 15 percent of other grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris to the final Pinot Noir wine
• A base yield of 35 hectoliters per hectare
• A vine planting density of at least 9,000 vines per hectare 
• Minimum potential alcohol of 11.5% in the grapes

Top 10 Clos de la Roche Wines to Buy in 2024

The leading Clos de la Roche wine producers include:

• Domaine Ponsot (founded by Laurent Ponsot) 
• Domaine Dujac (founded by Jacques Seysses)
• Domaine Hubert Lignier (founded by Laurent Lignier)
• And, more.

Here are 10 exquisite Clos de la Roche Grand Cru wines from these producers, along with their tasting notes and prices:

• 2015 Domaine Leroy Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($12,540)
• 2003 Jacky Truchot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($10,740)
• 2015 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($1,198)
• 2019 Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru MCMLV ($1,099)
• 2018 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($851)
• 2018 Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($779)
• 2015 Hospices de Beaune Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 'Cuvee Cyrot Chaudron' ($539)
• 2016 Domaine des Monts Luisants Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($426)
• 2013 Joseph Drouhin Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($174)
• 2006 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($136)

1. 2015 Domaine Leroy Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($12,540)

This powerful Domaine Leroy Grand Cru wine secured a high 96 point score from Wine Advocate (Robert Parker.) It opens with a savory herb and mineral bouquet offset by a layered palate of red cherry and smoky black fruit. 

2. 2003 Jacky Truchot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($10,740)

Here’s a beautiful Clos de la Roche Grand Cru red wine with an addictive aroma of vanilla, coffee, and oak. The label also shows a delightful depth of strawberry and chocolate flavors.

3. 2019 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($1,120)

Candied cherry, cassis, and spice scents complement this Domain Dujac wine’s magnificent rhubarb, dark fruit, and cocoa palate. It offers a grainy tannin texture with hints of lively acids and received an enviable score of 97-99 from wine critic Neil Martin.

4. 2017 Domaine Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru MCMLV ($1,031)

This remarkable Domaine Hubert Lignier Grand Cru boasts red fruit and earthy aromas highlighting its delicious black fruit notes. It presents a fine tannin mouthfeel and lively acids on the palate. Laurent Lignier crafted this special Clos de la Roche Cuvee to honor his grandfather Henri.

5. 2018 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($851)

This complex Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from the Morey St Denis region offers a succulent flavor profile of cherries and blue fruit with a silky finish. 

6. 2018 Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($779)

This Burgundian Côte de Nuits red wine has enticing mint, cassis, and treacle aromatics with luscious raspberry and red fruit notes.  

7. 2015 Hospices de Beaune Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 'Cuvee Cyrot Chaudron' ($539)

Here’s an intense Hospices de Beaune fine wine with opulent flavors of plum and raspberry balanced by a compelling nose of herbs, cherries, and spice.

8. 2016 Domaine des Monts Luisants Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($426)

This Côte de Nuits wine displays bright acidity and grippy tannins with sumptuous strawberry notes and earthy aromas.

9. 2013 Joseph Drouhin Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($174)

The incredible 2013 Joseph Drouhin vintage wine features mushroom, truffle, and smoke scents in a gorgeous red berry and dark fruit palate.

10. 2006 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru ($136)

Here’s a stunning Louis Jadot wine that offers balanced acidity, a fine tannin texture with beautiful forest floor aromas and dark fruit flavors. 

Serving Tips and Food Pairings for Clos de la Roche Wines

These bold wines work brilliantly with game, braised veal, rib steak, and cheeses like Brillat-Savarin or Epoisses.

Serve your Clos de la Roche wine at 14 to 16 degrees Celsius to relish its layered flavor profile.

Investing in Clos de la Roche Wines

Clos de la Roche wines have an exceptional aging potential of 10 to 15 years. Many of them enjoy high scores from acclaimed wine critics, like Neal Martin (Vinous) and Robert Parker (Wine Advocate.) 

Over the years, these wines have shown remarkable value appreciation, making them worthy collectibles for your cellar. For instance, between 2020 and 2021:

• The price of the 2014 Domaine Leroy Clos de la Roche Grand Cru wine increased by over 100% in value, from $4,273 to $8,576.
• The price of the 2003 Jacky Truchot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru rose by a whopping 393%, from $2,202 to $10,876.

Besides being promising investment-grade wines, Clos de la Roche labels have performed brilliantly at several auction events too. For example:

• A 3-bottle lot of the rare Clos de la Roche 1996 Domaine Leroy wine was sold for $16,022 at a Sotheby’s auction in 2021.
• At a Spectrum Wine auction in 2021, a bottle of the Domaine Dujac Clos De La Roche 1999 wine was sold for $2,057.

The best way to invest in these prized vintage wines is to sign up with a wine investment website like Vinovest. It is an AI-based platform that lets you buy, store, and sell authentic wines from all over the world.

Clos de la Roche Winemaking

The stages in the vinification process of Clos de la Roche wines are:

• The hand-harvested Pinot Noir grape clusters are destemmed, sorted, and transferred to temperature-controlled vats by gravity.
• After a brief maceration period, the wine is fermented with wild yeasts. During fermentation, the wine is punched down to enhance its tannin levels. 
• The fermented wine is matured on its lees in 65 to 80% new French oak barrels for 17 to 18 months.

Clos de la Roche: Burgundy’s Sumptuous Pinot Noir Wine

Clos de la Roche wines rank among Burgundy’s best Pinot Noir labels. They develop decadent aromas and a stunning flavor depth when cellared for a few years. Pop open a dazzling Clos de la Roche bottle from our list to impress guests at your next house party.

Meanwhile, if you wish to invest in these fine labels, check out the Vinovest website and start building your profitable wine portfolio today!