Clos Baulet is a Premier Cru climat at the base of the Cote d'Or in Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy. This vineyard, like many in the Cote de Nuits sub-region, is planted entirely to Pinot Noir. Its small acreage means that only a few wines are regularly made under the Clos Baulet Premier Cru title.
The vineyard occupies a thin strip of land directly east of Morey-Saint-Denis village itself. It is one of several Premier Crus that occupy the land here, and is sandwiched between the larger Clos Sorbes and Les Blanchards vineyards. This part of Morey-Saint-Denis makes wines that are slightly less refined than those from more northerly Premier Cru vineyards like Clos des Ormes, but with good structure and character nevertheless.
The land slopes gently toward the east in the Clos Baulet climat, supplying vines with plentiful sunlight during the growing season. This sunlight helps ripening, giving grapes the chance to reach full phenolic ripeness in Burgundy's cool climate. This is tempered by cooler nights which preserve acidity in the grapes, balancing the rich fruit complexity of the wines.
The soils here are made up of a similar limestone as in the rest of Morey-Saint-Denis, although it tends to be richer and deeper than that higher on the hill. Although the soil is rocky and free-draining, a high proportion of clay stores sufficient water to hydrate vines during the growing season. This leads to the production of high quality grapes in the Clos Baulet climat, leading to wines that are worthy of their Premier Cru status.
Like several of Clos Baulet's neighbors, the surrounding wall which once earned the site its clos name is no longer standing in its entirety. It is now limited to a small section at the western edge of the vineyard.
