Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Accessory grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- The vineyard sits within the straight-line relief of the Côte de Nuits, of tectonic origin, which extends for around 25 kilometres in a general north/south direction.
- The substrate consists of hard limestones topped by a marl layer dated to the Bajocian, a period of the Middle Jurassic, forming a slight concavity in the landscape.
- The soils are poorly developed, generally carbonate-rich and shallow, well-draining despite a high clay content, particularly over the limestone substrate.
- The cool oceanic climate is moderated by continental or southern influences carried along the Rhône-Saône axis, with moderate rainfall of around 750 millimetres per year and an average temperature of 10.5°C.
- To the east, the Côte benefits from the shelter of the Morvan massif, which gives it a thermal advantage and a notable rainfall deficit for the region, favourable to quality winegrowing, through a foehn effect.
- The Burgundian climate is classed as temperate oceanic with a slight continental tendency, with average annual sunshine of 1,890 hours over the period 1991-2020 at Dijon-Longvic. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Human factors
- From the 7th century, the Clos de Bèze belonged to the Abbey of Bèze, which ceded it to the Chapter of Langres in the 12th century, the latter probably already owning the neighbouring Chambertin, thus forming a single landholding.
- From 1730, the merchant Jobert gradually acquired the working of the vines and added the cru's name to his own, calling himself Jobert de Chambertin, an act considered decisive for the cru's renown.
- A ruling of 1932 authorised producers working the plots of the Clos de Bèze to sell their wines under the name Chambertin-Clos de Bèze or under the name Chambertin, fixing the definitive delimitation of the cru before the appellation was recognised by decree in 1937.
- The vines are trained according to the customs of the Côte de Nuits, with planting densities above 9,000 vines per hectare and a grape mix based on the Pinot noir variety.
Product characteristics
- The wines are an intense, deep red and may show violet highlights in their youth.
- The nose generally recalls red and black fruits, often mingled with floral notes, undergrowth, liquorice or spice, while Wikipedia instead evokes blackcurrant, cherry, musk and liquorice.
- On the palate, concentration brings a sense of power, balance and harmony, with a lively attack followed by a long finish combining richness and elegance.
- These wines are marked by very great longevity, with Wikipedia noting that they are wines for long ageing that can exceed 15 years depending on the vintage.
Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.
About this boundary
On the map, at overview zooms, this appellation is drawn as a silhouette of its vineyard generalised at 97 m from the INAO parcel delimitation; the parcels themselves appear as you zoom in.
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