Dujac : Clos de la Roche Grand cru Domaine 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 from Domaine Dujac

Tasting

Color

The wine reveals a ruby-red hue.

Nose

The nose opens with an expressive bouquet of dark fruits—especially black cherry and blueberry—along with notes of forest floor, sweet spices, and a floral hint of rose that emerges after aeration. Subtle nuances of blood orange, white pepper, and tobacco enrich the aromatic palette, reflecting the complexity of Clos de la Roche’s limestone terroir.

Palate

On the palate, this wine shows an ample, graceful structure—both silky and approachable on the attack—while revealing a powerful tannic backbone that underscores its remarkable aging potential. The texture stands out for its signature elegance, with layered complexity and fine concentration balanced by the vintage’s typical freshness and well-defined acidity. The mid-palate offers striking depth, with flavors of wild strawberry, poached plum, and black cherry that retain exceptional clarity and definition. The tannins, shaped by a long fermentation and aging in new barrels, are firm yet silky, powdery and finely sculpted rather than coarse. The finish is notably long and perfectly balanced, with harmonious integration of fruit, oak, acidity, and tannins, concluding on lingering mineral notes and subtle herbal touches.

Food and wine pairing

This Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 pairs ideally with refined dishes such as pan-seared lamb shank with mushrooms or grilled hanger steak. It also matches beautifully with game meats such as venison, duck, or pheasant, as well as preparations incorporating mushrooms, truffles, or other earthy elements that echo the terroir expression found in the wine.

Serving and cellaring

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 should be served at a temperature of around 15 to 16°C. This wine has exceptional aging potential and can be enjoyed from around 2030, with the ability to remain at its peak through 2038, or even beyond depending on storage conditions.

An elegant Burgundy grand cru with remarkable structure

The estate

Founded in 1968 by Jacques Seysses in Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Dujac has established itself as one of Burgundy’s must-know benchmarks. Initially covering 4.5 hectares, the estate now spans around 17.5 hectares of vines, including prestigious Grand Cru and Premier Cru parcels. A pioneer in the use of whole-cluster fermentation and committed to certified organic viticulture since 2011 and biodynamic practices since 2003, the estate is now run by Jeremy and Alec Seysses, the founder’s sons, together with Diana Snowden Seysses. This new generation continues the domaine’s philosophy, favoring the expression of terroir and vintage over an imposed winemaking style.

The vineyard

Clos de la Roche, recognized as a Grand Cru since 1936, is one of the four Grand Crus of Morey-Saint-Denis. Domaine Dujac owns 1.95 hectares here, spread across five distinct parcels with an east to southeast exposure, on slopes with gradients ranging from 4 to 23%. The soils are characterized by their limestone richness and shallow topsoil depth—typically between 30 and 40 centimeters—scattered with large outcropping stone blocks. The geological composition includes small, angular limestone gravels mixed with brown-reddish flint nodules, resting on a Premeaux limestone subsoil in the eastern sections and Comblanchien limestone in the steeper western parts. This geological complexity contributes to the wine’s mineral expression and structure.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy proved particularly demanding from a climatic standpoint. Spring frosts damaged a significant portion of developing buds, followed by a wet summer that created high disease pressure throughout the growing season. Despite these challenges, the vintage produced remarkable wines defined by freshness, brightness, and transparency to terroir, with lighter alcohol levels and reduced glycerol content that give the wines exceptional elegance and finesse.

Winemaking and aging

Winemaking for Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2021 is based on whole-cluster fermentation at around 85%, a signature technique at Domaine Dujac. Whole clusters are placed at the top of the open vats, with destemmed fruit arranged underneath, allowing for a natural, gravity-driven layering without mechanical crushing. A minimal dose of sulfur is applied, and fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts naturally present on the grape skins. Fermentation lasts around two weeks, beginning with light punch-downs before moving to gentle pump-overs for soft extraction. After fermentation, the wines are lightly pressed and then transferred by gravity to the cellar for 14 to 18 months of aging in French oak barrels, with 80 to 100% new oak for the Grand Crus.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir