Historic Auxey-Duresses Pinot Noir from walled Clos expresses elegance through minimal-intervention.
Grape and Style
This wine is a red Pinot Noir from Le Clos du Moulin aux Moines, a historic plot in Auxey-Duresses, Burgundy. The vineyard, planted in 1952 and 1954, produces elegant and fresh wine from its old vines.T
erroir and Viticulture
Le Clos du Moulin aux Moines is a walled vineyard (hence "Clos") bordered by the Cloux stream. The 1.20-hectare plot sits at 250 meters altitude with a north/north-east exposure. The soil is a deep, well-draining mixture of sand, silt, and limestone, allowing vines to develop deep root systems. The vineyard is densely planted at 10,000 vines per hectare and is managed using organic and biodynamic practices, focusing on soil health and microbial activity without chemical inputs.
Winemaking
The winemaking approach emphasizes minimal intervention to preserve the wine's terroir expression. Grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted. Typically, 90% to 100% whole clusters are used (except for the 2018 vintage, which was fully destemmed). Fermentation and maceration occur slowly in cement tanks for 18 days using only wild yeasts, with daily pump-overs. The wine ages in oak barrels for 10 months. Notably, very little sulfur is added, and only before bottling. The final product is neither filtered nor fined, resulting in a Pinot Noir that authentically reflects its origin, with an aging potential of 3 to 5 years and a yield of 38 to 42 hL/ha.