Griotte-Chambertin

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard lies within the rectilinear relief of the 'Côte de Nuits', a feature of tectonic origin that extends for approximately 25 kilometres in a general north–south direction.
• The plots are situated on the footslope, at the heart of a small amphitheatre cutting into the edge of a terrace formed by a hard Bajocian limestone known as 'calcaire à entroques'.
• The soils are weakly developed, generally calcareous and shallow but well-draining despite their high clay content, with a limestone bedrock concealed beneath a thin layer of scree, clay, and red silts.
• The climate is cool oceanic, tempered by continental or southerly influences carried along the Rhône–Saône axis, with approximately 750 millimetres of rainfall per year and a mean annual temperature of 10.5°C.
• The topographic position of the vineyard plots protects them from frost risk and from morning mists, while providing an east-facing exposure that favours rapid warming of the soil.

• The reputation of the lieu-dit running alongside the Clos de Bèze appears to have been established as early as the eighteenth century, with its wines commanding high prices and frequently being associated with the neighbouring Chambertin.
• A ruling by the Dijon tribunal in 1931 recognised wines sold under the name Griotte-Chambertin as an appellation d'origine and fixed the geographical boundaries, before the AOC was formally recognised by decree in 1937.
• The vines are trained at planting densities exceeding 9,000 vines per hectare, with an encépagement based on the Pinot noir variety.
• It is customary to age the wines for several months, which imparts to them a strong capacity for cellaring.

• The wines display a dense yet elegant and velvety tannic structure, balanced by a refined freshness, with aromas dominated by red fruits intertwined with spices, violet, or undergrowth.
• These wines are characterised by considerable longevity, and a few years of cellaring favour the emergence and full expression of their potential.

• The topographic position of the vineyard ensures optimal sunlight exposure through its east-facing orientation and protects the vines from morning mists by virtue of its situation above the footslope.
• The hard limestone bedrock overlain by shallow, stone-rich clay soils induces moderate fertility and a balanced water regime, shedding excess water while maintaining a restrained supply during periods of drought.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — BIVB