1979 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche

Domaine Armand Rousseau is a 35-acre estate in Gevrey-Chambertin, in Burgundy. It was founded in the early 20th century by Armand Rousseau who inherited vineyards then added more vineyards through marriage. By the standards of the region, Domaine Rousseau was a pioneer in bottling its own wine. It was bottling under its own name in the 1920s and began exporting. Today the domaine is run by Armand’s son and grandson and exports nearly 80% of the 65,000 bottles a year produced. Grand Crus produced are Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Mazy-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de Roche. Several Premier Crus are also produced. Clive Coates calls the domaine’s wines “vigorous and very classy…Moreover, they are all quite distinctive, each an expression of its own terroir. This is superb winemaking…”

Clos de la Roche is a 41-acre Grand Cru vineyard in the Morey St.-Denis appellation in the Cotes de Nuits, in northern Burgundy. The tiny village of Morey St.-Denis is just south of Gevrey-Chambertin and Clos de Roche is considered the appellation’s most superior Grand Cru. The vineyard’s elevation ranges from 270 to 300 meters, and its soil is extremely rocky with excellent drainage. The soil is largely limestone, and in some places it is barely a foot deep. Writer Clive Coates calls Clos de Roche “the classiest of the Morey Grand Crus.” The largest landholders are Ponsot with 8.35 acres; Dujac, 4.88 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.7 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.