Lucien Le Moine : Clos de la Roche Grand cru 2022

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2022 Lucien Le Moine

Tasting notes

Colour
The wine reveals a garnet colour, both deep and beautifully intense.

Nose
Initially discreet and restrained, the bouquet needs a little aeration to open up. It then gradually reveals aromas of cooked black fruits, delicate flowers and resinous touches, all underpinned by deep mineral and earthy notes.

Palate
Despite its evident concentration, the palate is juicy and full of energy. It offers remarkable minerality along with lovely liveliness. The fine, tight tannic structure provides a delicate sensation reminiscent of taffeta. The finish stretches out with beautiful persistence and great length.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs wonderfully with flavourful, characterful dishes. It will enhance feathered game such as roast duck or pheasant, as well as rich meats like a rib of beef, braised veal or roast lamb. Wild mushroom preparations, truffle dishes and well-aged cheeses also make excellent pairings.

Service and storage

It is essential to decant this Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2022 before serving, ideally for several hours or at least a few minutes, in order to release its natural carbon dioxide and reveal all its aromas. Built for long aging, this wine will begin to show its full potential around 2029 and can continue to develop in the cellar until approximately 2050, or even beyond under optimal storage conditions.

Other characteristics

This wine has an alcohol content of 13.5%. It is also notable for its rarity, as only a single barrel was produced for this vintage.

The elegance and mineral power of a Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru by Lucien Le Moine

The estate

Founded in 1999 in Beaune, the house of Lucien Le Moine is a négociant structure located in Burgundy. Led by its founders and current owners, Mounir Saouma and Rotem Brakin, this estate stands out for its artisanal approach and its philosophy inspired by monastic traditions. The owners deliberately limit their production to around a hundred barrels a year in order to maintain absolute control over every stage. This rigorous approach allows Lucien Le Moine to offer authentic wines that faithfully reflect the terroirs of the region.

The vineyard

The Clos de la Roche is the largest of the four classified appellations in the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis, in the Côte de Nuits. Facing east and southeast, at an altitude of around 250 metres, this terroir takes its name from its very rocky soils. The vines thrive on a predominantly limestone soil that is shallow, barely thirty centimetres deep, lying directly on a bedrock strewn with large stone blocks, giving the wine its very distinctive mineral character.

The vintage

2022 offered very favourable climatic conditions, allowing for more generous yields after several difficult years. The growing season began with late budbreak, which helped protect the vines from spring frost events. Subsequently, despite four heatwaves and a marked summer drought, the grapes reached optimal ripeness, yielding perfectly balanced musts with lovely freshness.

Winemaking and aging

The making of this Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2022 relies on minimal intervention. The juices are selected very early, right after pressing. Aging takes place exclusively in oak barrels from the Jupilles forest, custom-made with slow charcoal toasting. The wine ages on its full lees, without any racking, with light regular stirring. Malolactic fermentation is deliberately delayed until the end of summer so that the carbon dioxide naturally protects the wine. Finally, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration.

Grape variety

This wine is made from 100% Pinot Noir.