Les Genavrieres is one of 20 Premier Cru climats in the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation of Burgundy. Located on the hill above the appellation's Grand Cru vineyards, the climat has a cooler mesoclimate that gives a leaner style of wine than comes from the less elevated sites, albeit still from the ubiquitous Pinot Noir grape variety. These wines display red fruit characters of cherry and plum, and have some aging capabilities.
The vineyard lies midslope on the Cote d'Or, looking over the Clos de la Roche Grand Cru vineyard, which sits immediately below. As is the case with its neighboring climat, Monts Luisants, the vines here were once almost exclusively white (a mixture of Aligote, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc). However, they have gradually been taken over by Pinot Noir vines.
This position atop the hill gives Les Genavrieres a cooler mesoclimate than other vineyards in Morey-Saint-Denis. The east-facing slope of the Cote d'Or ensures that vines receive excellent exposure to the sunlight during the day, which increases the development of rich varietal character in the grapes. However, the vineyard's elevation, reaching some 1000ft (330m) above sea level, means that this sunlight is tempered by a diurnal temperature variation. As a result, ripening is slowed and more acidity is retained in the grapes, resulting in a less-concentrated style of wine.
Les Genavrieres has similar thin, rocky soils as Monts Luisants. This well-drained site has a visibly high content of limestone, a rock that is inextricably linked with high-quality viticulture due to its supposed contribution of minerality to wines. The limestone quarry on the hill above the vineyard lays bare the substrata of the area.
The vineyard is not nearly as large as its neighbors Monts Luisants and Les Chaffots, and so its wines are much harder to come by. Les Genavrieres should not be confused with the similarly named Genevrieres Premier Cru vineyard of Meursault.
