La Riotte is one of 20 Premier Cru climats in the small yet fragmented Morey-Saint-Denis appellation in the Cote de Nuits. Like many others in the appellation, this vineyard is planted entirely to Pinot Noir, a grape variety which is well suited to the terroir here. La Riotte Premier Cru wines are medium bodied with good fruit complexity and structure.
The vineyard is one of several that lie below Morey-Saint-Denis village on the slope of the Cote d'Or escarpment. The well-known Les Millandes and Clos des Ormes vineyards are on the land directly north of La Riotte, while the land to the east is used to make basic Morey-Saint-Denis wines.
La Riotte's terroir is not dissimilar from that of many of the surrounding vineyards, as it has the same limestone-based soils and easterly aspect as its neighbors. There is a good proportion of clay in the soil, which stores sufficient water to keep vines hydrated without being excessive: vines must grow deep, strong roots to access this water. This clay content is often cited as the reason for the strength and structure of Morey-Saint-Denis wines, as it is in Gevrey-Chambertin to the north.
A gentle slope also benefits vines here, as it provides an exposure to the rising sun that gives the site a favorable mesoclimate. Generally, vines on hillsides have better access to sunlight, which provides better ripening opportunities than on flatter land. La Riotte's gentle slope gives it this advantage over the flatter land to the east, but is not as good as in the Clos de la Roche and Clos de Tart Grand Cru climats on the steeper slopes to the west.
La Riotte is one of Morey-Saint-Denis' larger Premier Cru vineyards, with a total area of six acres (2.5ha). Its wines are usually considered to be slightly less refined than others in Morey-Saint-Denis, but still of a quality that deserves Premier Cru classification.
