One of the oldest Wine Estates in France, Clos de Bèze was founded in the 12th century by the monks of the Abbey of Bèze at the present day site. In 1219 the Clos was sold to the canons of Langres who cultivated the property up until the French revolution when it was divided into smaller ‘climat’ (plots) and sold to numerous private buyers. The wines of Clos de Bèze are considered some the finest in all of Burgundy. Since the creation of the AOC system in 1937 the Clos de Bèze is classed as ‘Grand Cru de Bourgogne’.
Situated at the Gevrey-Chambertin junction of the ‘route des Grands Crus’ , in the direction of Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Prieuré Rochs’ ‘climat’ covers 1.0136 hectares at the heart of the Clos. The plot has an east facing aspect from 250 metres to 240 metres above sea level on a subsoil of Prémeaux type limestone. It is an exceptional ‘terroir’ of brown earth with silt and scree at the top of the slope, limestone and clay at the base.
Archives: Climats
Les climats
CLOS DE VOUGEOT
The Cistercian monks of the abbey at Cîteaux created the vinyard of Vougeot on the banks of the Vouge in 1100. They planted pinot noir and entrusted the vines’ tending to their lay brethern. The Clos itself takes its’ present name from 1330 when it was walled. During the pontificate of Pope Clément VI (1342-1352), the monks subdivided the Clos into three large ‘climat’ (plots) defining three different wines: “cuvée du pape”, “cuvée du roi”, and “cuvée des moines”. During the revolution, the Rhine Army, led by Colonel Bisson, marched on the prestigious vinyard, and took it in the name of the French state. In 1818 the Clos was aquired by banker Gabriel Julien Ouvrard. In 1889 his inheritors divided the property, selling it piecemeal to some fifteen wine merchants of the region. The partitioning had begun.
Situated in the commune of Vougeot close to the source of the river Vouge, the upper part of this terrain is gravelly and pebbly, the lower part more claylike, however, the soil remains very filtering. The total surface area is approximately 50 hectares, devided into more than 80 separate plots. Domaine Prieuré Rochs’ plot is situated in the “terroir royal” and covers 0.6236 hectares.
LE CLOS GOILLOTTE MONOPOLE
In the heart of the village of Vosne Romanée, Clos Goillote forms a square of 0.55 hectare in front of the former chais (winery) of the Prince of Conti which became, in 1820, the bourgeoise dwelling of La Goillotte. Reserved for household consumption, the wines and vinyard of Clos Goillotte were not recorded and classed during the constitution of the ‘appellation’ system in 1936, so with almost no exception, the wines of the Clos Goillotte were unavailable to anyone but the family until 1988 when the property was bought by Henry Frédéric Roch. The vignes are about 50 years old.
LES SUCHOTS
Representing 13.08 ha from the 220 hectares of the vinyards of Vosne Romanée, the climat (plot) “Les Suchots” is classed as Premier Cru. The name “suchots” derives from “souches”, the woods which have centuries ago made way for the vines. Situated on the gently sloping hillside of Vosne, below Les Beaumonts and Aux Brûlées, next to Les Echezeaux-Clos Saint Denis, Les Suchots of Domaine Prieuré Roch covers a plot of 1.02 hectares. The vines are fifty years old.
LES HAUTES MAIZIÈRES
The decree of ‘appellation’ of Vosne Romanée cites the descriptive passage from the Duchy of Burgundy published by L’Abbée Courtépéé in 1778: the vinyards of Vosne are considered to produce “the finest Burgandy wines renowned throughout Europe” and continues to state that there exists no wine or vinyard equal to those of Vosne. Les Hautes Maizières, classed as “villages” it is situated at mid slope, just below the premier cru ‘climat’ (plot) of Les Suchots. The plot cultivated by the Domaine extends over 0.62 hectares at the heart of Les Hautes Maizières. The vines are around forty years old.
LES CLOUS
The name “Les Clous” was originally intended for a wine, not a place. In effect, this climat (plot), situated at the base of the hillside at the foot of the village of Vosne-Romanée, straddles two ‘terroirs’: “La Colombière” and “Le Pré de la Folie”. It extends 0.58 hectares. Some of the vines are over thirty years old and so part of the plot has been cleared of these vines in order to let the soil recuperate and reconstitute its’ original minerality and complexity. The wine of “Les Clous” was therefore very rare during few years.
LE CLOS DES CORVÉES MONOPOLE
At the gateway to Prémeaux, the southern boundary of Le Clos de Corvées follows the line of a flat stone paved track, quite unique here on the Côte. This track would have been used by the monks of Saint-Vivant-Sous-Vergy around the 10th century, and was originally a roman road. The re-establishment of Clos de Corvées, partitioned in the middle ages, is thanks to the shared passion of two men: the founder of the renowned winemerchants Geisweiler, in the late 19th century, and the French General Denis Joseph Gouachon, at the turn of the 20th century. This ‘climat’ (plot) covers 5.21 hectares and is one of the Côtes’ largest vinyards under single tenancy.
CLOS DES ARGILLIÈRES
Situated in the commune of Primeaux-Prissey at the South of the appellation, Clos des Argillières counts among 41 Premier Crus of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. It is part of the larger ‘climat’ (plot) known as “Argillières”. It adjoins Clos des Corvées and is distinguished by its’ steep slope which at its’ highest touches the cap rock. When it became part of Domaine Prieuré Roch in 2009, the plot was already being cultivated organically for several years and so easily found its’ place among the most expressive “terroirs” of the domaine.
LE CLOUD
Situated to the North of Côte de Beaune at the foot of the Montagne de Corton, just at the limit of the Côte des Nuits, in the appellation “Ladoix Villages”, the plot called “le clou”, which gets its’ name from “cloud”, becoming part of our domaine. The parcel was purchased by the domain in two stages. The first, acquired en 2010, covers 2.16 hectares of which 1.68 ha is planted with pinot noir and the remaining 0.48 ha in chardonnay. The second in 2019. Today the plot covers 2,18 ha of pinot noir and 0,958 ha in chardonnay. This terroir, due to the philosophy of Domaine Prieuré Roch, gives freshand fruity wines whose will delight and surprise year after year, vintage after vintage.
LE CLOS DES VAROILLES MONOPOLE
The plot of Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Le Clos des Varoilles Monopole has become part of the domain in 2020. With 6ha, it is the fifth biggest Monopole of the Côte. Protected by the Combe Lavaux, it gives wines a great freshness, an advantage in the years of heat waves we are going through. It’s a big asset for the Domaine to have this very famous Monopole.