Dufouleur Les Millandes 1993 Morey St. Denis

Les Millandesis one of the largest Premier Cru climats in central Morey-Saint-Denis, located just north of the town itself. It is one of a strip of Premier Cru climats that lie at the base of the Côte d’Or below the Grand Cru hillside, and, like its neighbors, is planted to Pinot Noir. Les Millandes wines tend to be structured and elegant with firm tannins.

The 4.2 hectare (10.3 acre) vineyard lies on the outskirts of Morey-Saint-Denis village, between the Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru climat in the west and the Premier Cru Les Cheverny vineyard to the east. To the north and south lie the Premiers Crus sites of Les Faconnières and La Riotte respectively.

Les Millandes is named for the small size of the berries that are produced by the vines here – a symptom of both the favorable terroir and the advanced age of the vines, some approaching 70 years old.

The vines are planted on similar clay limestone soils as in the Grand Cru vineyards on the hillside above, albeit with slightly less drainage, given their shallower slope. Nonetheless, the clay in the soil stores just enough water to hydrate vines throughout the growing season. This water, however, is not easily accessible and forces vines to grow strong roots and forsake canopy growth for the development of small, concentrated grapes.

A gentle easterly aspect in Les Millandes provides an important sunlight exposure, aiding ripening in Burgundy’s cool climate. The grapes reach optimal ripeness prior to harvest, but cooler evenings mean they retain essential acidity.

The wines from Les Millandes are generally well regarded, regularly showing good structure, balance and ageability.