Morey-Saint-Denis
A village of walled clos, with five grands crus between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny.
- Wine village
- 30 min from Beaune
- Red and white wines
- 5 grands crus
€360for a half-day wine tour plus one hour, from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Appellations
- Morey-Saint-Denis
- Grapes
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc
- Premiers crus
- 20
- Name since
- 1927
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 30 min by road (27 km), €105 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About Morey-Saint-Denis
Morey-Saint-Denis is small and quiet, yet it holds five grands crus: Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart and part of Bonnes-Mares. Its wines sit in style between the power of Gevrey and the finesse of Chambolle, which makes it a rewarding stop for curious tasters.
The wines
Morey is almost all Pinot Noir, with a little Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc for a rare, firm white. The vines face east at 220 to 270 metres on limestone and clay-limestone soils, with white oolite at the top of the slope and crinoidal limestone lower down. The reds are deep in colour, with blackcurrant, bilberry and cherry, and turn to leather and truffle with age. The appellation has 20 premiers crus.
History
Morey's history is bound up with great religious houses and with the powerful lords of Vergy. In 1141 the Cistercian nuns of Notre-Dame de Tart acquired vines here and built them into the Clos de Tart, which they kept until the Revolution. It is still a monopole, a single walled vineyard with one owner. The Clos Saint-Denis goes back to the 11th century and to the canons of the collegiate church of Saint-Denis at Vergy.
In 1855 the writer Dr Lavalle said of Morey that it lacked nothing. In 1927 the village added Saint-Denis to its name, and its appellation followed in 1936. The grands crus were recognised in stages: Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis and Bonnes-Mares in 1936, Clos de Tart in 1939 and Clos des Lambrays only in 1981, the last of the five to be promoted.
All the grands crusClos de la Roche · Clos Saint-Denis · Clos des Lambrays · Clos de Tart · Bonnes-Mares
Well-known premiers crusMonts Luisants · Les Ruchots · Clos des Ormes · La Riotte · Les Millandes · Les Chaffots
What to see
A walk through the grands crus
Vineyard lanes above the village lead past Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis and Clos des Lambrays, with wide views over the Côte and the plain below.
Clos de Tart
This walled grand cru runs up the slope beside the Route des Grands Crus. It is private and not open to visitors, but its long stone wall is a village landmark.
Église Notre-Dame and the wolves
The village church, restored for the 2024 Saint-Vincent Tournante, has a Cistercian-style choir. At the village entrance, two zinc wolves recall the old nickname of Morey's people.
Tips for your visit
Allow about an hour. Morey is best combined with Gevrey-Chambertin to the north and Chambolle-Musigny to the south, and a short walk in the upper vineyards is well worth it in good weather.
Around here
What to combine with Morey-Saint-Denis on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Morey-Saint-Denis is about 30 min from Beaune by road (27 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €105 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? People from Morey are nicknamed les loups, the wolves. Local legend says that in the late 17th century villagers ate cows from Saint-Philibert that had been grazing on Morey land.
Sources
Morey-Saint-Denis with a private driver
Half-day wine tour plus one hour from Beaune: €360 for the car, up to 4 guests