Clos Saint-Denis is a grand cru vineyard in Morey-Saint-Denis, in Burgundy's famous Côte de Nuits. It is located on the mid-slope of the Cote d'Or escarpment, immediately north of Morey-Saint-Denis village, and covers just 6 hectares (15 acres) of land. Clos Saint-Denis wines are made from Pinot Noir, and are more aromatic and delicate than the wines from the neighboring Clos de la Roche Grand Cru vineyard.
The site's name can be traced back to the 11th Century and refers to the Collegiale de Saint-Denis de Vergy – a religious order founded in 1023 that built its church on the clos site. The clos was constructed as a vineyard and has remained one ever since. Saint-Denis was taken as a suffix to the Morey village name in 1927, producing Morey-Saint-Denis. This was a common practice at the time, beginning in neighboring Gevrey-Chambertin in 1847, although the honor was usually extended to the most prestigious vineyard in the village, which in Morey's case was Clos de la Roche.
Clos Saint-Denis is located on the hillside just south of Clos de la Roche, and shares a similar terroir. The limestone-based soil is rocky and clayey, and has a thin layer of well-drained topsoil. There is a slightly higher amount of water-retaining clay in this climat than in Clos de la Roche, however. Clos Saint-Denis has an easterly exposure, and vines benefit from both the morning sunlight and protection from westerly winds. As a result, the grapes are able to reach full phenolic ripeness while still retaining acidity, making wines that are well balanced and capable of being aged for many years.
The climat's largest land holder is Georges Lignier, which owns roughly 1.5ha (4 acres) of vineyard. However, a number of other prestigious domaines make Clos Saint-Denis wines, including Domaine Dujac and Domaine Ponsot.
