Site and Climate
Romanée-Saint-Vivant is a delimited Grand Cru vineyard and an appellation entirely within the commune of Vosne-Romanée on the Côte-d’Or in Burgundy. The vineyard lies at the foot of the slope of the Côte de Nuits on a slightly raised terrace above the village, at around 247 to 260 metres above sea level. The land falls gently to the east and slightly overlooks the plain. The temperate oceanic climate is shaped by continental and southerly influences, with around 750 millimetres of rainfall per year and a mean annual temperature of about 10.5 °C.
Soils and Extent
The geological subsoil consists of limestone from the Middle Jurassic, including Bajocium crinoid limestone. A colluvial layer a few decimetres to around one metre thick covers the parent rock. The shallow, carbonate-rich soils are strongly clayey; limestone ensures drainage, while iron oxides give them a characteristic red colour. The vineyard covers approximately 9.4 hectares and produces an average of around 240 hectolitres per year.
Appellation and Wines
The appellation was recognised on 11 September 1936 and may bear the designation “Grand Cru”. It is reserved for still red wines. The main grape variety is Pinot Noir N; Chardonnay B, Pinot Blanc B and Pinot Gris G are permitted as mixed subsidiary planting together up to 15 per cent per plot. The permitted yield is 42 hectolitres per hectare, with a maximum yield of 49 hectolitres per hectare. The wines are described as powerful yet at the same time charming, firm and structured, with intense aromas of ripe or stewed red and black fruits, musk, leather and undergrowth. They have a high aromatic persistence and can develop in the bottle over several decades.
History and Winemaking
Vine growing in Vosne-Romanée has been documented since the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, the Cluniac monastery of Saint-Vivant owned vineyard holdings there with a press house and cellars. The name “Romanée de Saint-Vivant” is first documented in 1765; the climat then combined several earlier, enclosed Saint-Vivant plots. After the French Revolution, church property was confiscated and sold; the Marey-Monge family acquired Romanée-Saint-Vivant and kept the holding until 1898. For viticulture, requirements include, among other things, a planting density of at least 9,000 vines per hectare, a ban on irrigation and specifications regarding ripening. The wines must be matured for at least until 15 June of the year following the harvest.
