Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru

Latricières-Chambertin continues Chambertin southward, at the foot of the slope of Gevrey-Chambertin, on a slight shelf: a single lieu-dit, Latricières. Farther down lies Mazoyères, the southern part of Charmes-Chambertin; to the south, beyond the Premier Cru Aux Combottes, Morey-Saint-Denis begins. Recognized by the decree of July 31, 1937, it covers just over 7 hectares of Pinot Noir.

What sets it apart is its position at the mouth of the Combe Grisard, a small, dry, wooded valley: the cold forest air that flows down from it makes the mesoclimate cooler, and the debris from the combe, mixed with clays and red silts, forms a lean, stony soil over the Bajocian limestones and marls. First mentioned in the sixteenth century, the lieu-dit made its reputation in the eighteenth; in 1855 Jules Lavalle classified it as second cuvée, and in 1931 the Dijon court set its boundaries, adding the name Chambertin to its own.

For the appellation rules, these conditions can be read in the wine: compared with the neighboring Grands Crus it has less fat and sometimes more austerity in youth, with dense tannins and an acidity that gives it backbone; the fruity, floral bouquet turns with the years toward mineral and forest-floor notes, and a few years in bottle reveal its finesse and length. When available, the bottles appear further down.