Le Clos des Corvees 2018 Prieure Roch

Clos des Corvées is a premier cru appellation of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy. It applies to red wines from the Pinot Noir grape variety. It is a monopole of Domaine Prieuré Roch.

The vineyard is situated in the commune of Prémeaux-Prissey, with its southern end running up to the houses of the village. This commune borders Nuits-Saint-Georges to the south. Wines from fruit grown here come under the banner of the latter.

The walled plot makes up about two thirds of the former Les Corvées (Aux Corvées) vineyard. The remainder is accounted for by two other parcels, Clos des Corvées Pagets and Clos Saint-Marc, another monopole. Though the name of the larger plot could still be used, the sole-producer status of two of the three constituent parts makes this near impossible.

“Corvée” means unpaid labor, which was enforced on peasants by the lords of the land. The landlord’s right to corvée labor was of particular relevance to winemaking in pre-revolutionary France. It was most rigorously invoked at harvest time, just when the poor would want to be busy with their own crops.