2012 Clos St Denis
By Domaine Dujac
2012 Clos St Denis from Domaine Dujac, Burgundy, France
The enigmatic 2012 vintage of Burgundy stands as a testament to the resilience and finesse inherent in the region's wines, and the 2012 Clos St Denis from Domaine Dujac is a profound exhibit of this. For those well-versed in the climatic adversities that punctuated the Burgundian calendar in 2012, the excellence achieved by Domaine Dujac enacts a narrative of triumph over trial.
The Signature of Skilful Vintners
Towards the end of April 2012, Burgundy fell victim to frosts, redirecting the narrative for much of what was to come. The consequent delays in flowering induced uneven grape clusters—millerandage—which for less diligent producers might spell oenological disaster. However, Domaine Dujac's precise viticulture and masterful winemaking techniques turned potential weakness into remarkable strength for their Clos St Denis.
An intimate understanding of this particular terroir synergised with a reduced yield to concentrate the essence of each berry. The resultant 2012 Clos St Denis is a kaleidoscope of complexity that luxuriates on the palate: densely woven dark forest fruit harmonises with an earthy minerality, whilst subtle oak nuances and seasoned tannins lend this wine a regal backbone.
The Allure of Restricted Abundance
The limited quantity emergent from 2012's harvest has rendered this vintage an even more valuable player in the wine investment sphere. Carefully assessing stock availability becomes essential when considering such exclusive vintages.
The genius of Domaine Dujac has birthed a wine that not only captivates but promises to evolve magnificently. Investors would do well to observe the promising trajectory of the 2012 Clos St Denis from Domaine Dujac amidst their portfolios.
Summarily, as one peers through the lens of time at the 2012 Clos St Denis, one sees beyond initial hardships to a creation both complex and assertive—a challenging year transformed into a vintage to cherish and savour, embodied perfectly by the pastoral elegance that is Domaine Dujac's contribution to Burgundy's tapestry.
Current market price
$18,230.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
682.5
Scores and tasting notes
The 2012 Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru has an intense, broody bouquet with dark plum, blackcurrant, undergrowth and mushroom scents that unfold in the glass. The palate is very well balanced, the tannins a little chalkier than the Echezeaux with great tension on the spicy finish. Superb persistency here with a lovely savory, cured meat note emerging with aeration. This grand cru performed so well in 2012 due to wines such as this. Tasting in the cellars of Domaine Dujac in Morey Saint Denis is always an educational, enlightening experience, granting you a useful picture of how some of the top vineyards performed in the Cote de Nuits during a given year. Alec Seysses was on hand to guide me around his particularly cold cellar, one of those occasions when my warm hands might be bad for pastry, but ideal for warming glasses. “It was the fourth poor year in a row in terms of quantity,” he explained, showing me the concrete eggs now employed at the domaine, a less common sight here in Burgundy compared to Bordeaux. “although in 2012 we had a regular crop of the village crus and the younger vines did well. We averaged around 20 hectoliters per hectare. Everything was racked in early September but there is some reduction from the cold cellar. The softness of the tannins strikes me as a character of the vintage. It is more a dark fruit vintage than a red fruit vintage. Sugars were between 12.5 and 13%, with a few 13.3% here and there. I find the wines similar to 2010, but the 2012 is a little more charming because the tannins are not quite as strong.” Tasting through the complete range of wines from the small batch of negociant wines under “Dujac Fils et Pere” to the clutch of grand crus, it was clear that propitious terroirs that influenced the wines greatly. The village crus were mostly commendable in their own right, but the real excitement begins as you broach the premier crus, where the barrel samples achieve high degrees of complexity and nuance. Like many of the top growers, I was pleased to see individual terroirs articulated with great clarity in 2012, perhaps more so than the 2011s. These barrel samples seemed to contain so much energy: tightly coiled springs of fermented grape juice, brimming with tension and freshness that Jeremy and Alec will endeavor to capture once in bottle. I have little doubt that they will succeed. Importers: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724; Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500 and though several merchants in the UK including Berry Brother & Rudd.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 December 2013