Site and Relief
La Tâche is a delimited vineyard and an AOC in the commune of Vosne-Romanée on the Côte-d’Or in Burgundy. The vineyard is located on the Côte de Nuits, a tectonic relief running in a north-south direction. As a narrow, long, stretched strip, it follows the slope at around 250 to 300 metres in elevation. The lower parcels have a gentle incline, while the upper ones are steeper; in general, the aspect faces the rising sun.
Climate and Soils
The climate is moderately oceanic and is shaped by continental and southern influences. The annual rainfall is approximately 750 millimetres, and the average annual temperature about 10.5 °C. The geological subsoil includes hard, jointed Bajocian limestone and marl in the lower slope area, softer Bathonian limestone further up that is susceptible to frost, and a tertiary limestone conglomerate formation towards the village. The shallow, weakly developed, calcareous soils contain a lot of clay and show a characteristic red colouring due to iron oxides.
AOC and Wine
The AOC La Tâche has been recognised since 11 September 1936, is limited to approved parcels in Vosne-Romanée and may bear the designation “grand cru”. It is reserved for red still wines. Pinot noir is the most important approved grape variety; Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris may together make up at most five per cent per parcel. The wines are described as having firm structure, with pronounced aromas of red and black fruits, musk, leather and undergrowth, as well as an ageing potential of several decades.
Cultivation and History
A planting density of at least 9,000 vines per hectare is prescribed, along with manual harvesting and the prohibition of irrigation. The basic yield is 35 hectolitres per hectare, with a maximum limit of 49 hectolitres. Short pruning is permitted and simple Guyot training. The wines must be matured for at least until 15 June of the year following the harvest. The lieu-dit, documented since the 17th century, historically remained in a single hand; the current continuous holding belongs to the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and covers 6.0620 hectares. Part of the neighbouring lieu-dit Les Gaudichots is also included in the current holdings.
