Clos Prieur is a Premier Cru climat just south of Gevrey-Chambertin village in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy. The climat is planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, and sits at the base of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru hill, home to the Chambertin and Clos de Bèze vineyards. Clos Prieur Premier Cru wines are lighter and less concentrated than these, yet still a step up from “village” level Gevrey-Chambertin, and display silky red fruit characters and good balance.
The climat is effectively split in two, with only its western half (known as “Clos Prieur-Haut”) classified as Premier Cru. This section is almost exactly two hectares (five acres). The Gevrey-Chambertin “village” level Clos Prieur-Bas, on the other, eastern, side of a small vineyard track measures 3.6 hectares (8.9 acres).
In this half of the vineyard, the land slopes upward toward the Côte d’Or. While this gentle exposition toward the morning sunlight is not nearly as steep as in the Grand Cru climats, it is steeper than the eastern half of the climat, which lies on much flatter land and is sanctioned only for use in basic Gevrey-Chambertin wines. This slope means that grapes have a better exposure to the sunlight, which aids ripening, leading to good flavor development.
Vines in the Clos Prieur climat sit atop pebbly soils with a high proportion of clay-limestone, a terroir that is particularly well suited to Pinot Noir. Effective drainage in the porous subsoil means that vines are never swamped, and have to work hard for the water that is stored in the soil. As a result, the vines produce small, concentrated berries that translate into high-quality wines.
