Clos Saint-Jacques is arguably Gevrey-Chambertin's most prestigious Premier Cru climat. It is located on southeast-facing slopes on the Cote d'Or escarpment, whose limestone-rich soils have long been credited with the wines' balanced structure. The vineyard is widely considered to be of Grand Cru quality, as is its immediate neighbor, Les Cazetiers. This pair consistently produce some of the village's most expensive wines, some more rival even those of the world-class Chambertin Grand Cru vineyard. Their full-bodied, fragrant red wines made from Pinot Noir are considered among Gevrey-Chambertin's very finest.
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The 17-acre (7ha) site is located immediately west of Gevrey-Chambertin village, on the mid-slope of the Cote d'Or. The vineyard marks the entrance to the Combe de Lavaux, a valley that cuts into the Cote d'Or, and so the slope angles more southeast than due east. Here, efficient exposure to sunlight allows grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness, but a cooling wind that flows through the valley slows this somewhat. As a result, the Clos Saint-Jacques vineyard is often harvested after the Grand Cru vineyards.
Adding to Clos Saint-Jacques' advantageous exposure is its high-quality white marl soils, quite similar to those found in the Le Chambertin Grand Cru vineyard. Rocky and rich in limestone, these soils help to divert water away from the surface of the ground, ensuring that the vines receive an optimum amount of water without becoming waterlogged. A lack of moisture in the topsoil forces grapes to grow deep root systems, while also restricting leafy canopy growth. Concentrated, high-quality berries are produced as a result.
The vineyard is named for a nearby statue of Saint-Jacques, marking the route of the Saint-Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage to the shrine of that saint in northwest Spain. The same is true of the neighboring Lavaut Saint-Jacques and Estournelles Saint-Jacques Premier Cru vineyards, and indeed many others throughout Burgundy.
Until 1953, the Clos Saint-Jacques vineyard was a monopole, but today five producers own land here. The largest of these is Armand Rousseau, who owns around a third of the climat.
