Fixin Premier Cru Clos Napoléon
cloh na-po-LAY-on
A tiny Côte de Nuits monopole steeped in Napoleonic legend, producing firm, mineral Pinot Noir from just 1.83 hectares at the heart of Fixin village.
Clos Napoléon is a 1.83-hectare Premier Cru monopole in Fixin, Côte de Nuits, owned entirely by Domaine Pierre Gelin. Named by a devoted officer of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, the vineyard produces dark, structured Pinot Noir with mineral depth. Its Napoleonic heritage and single-producer status make it one of Burgundy's most distinctive small appellations.
- Total area: 1.83 hectares (4.5 acres), classified Premier Cru
- Monopole held by Domaine Pierre Gelin since 1950
- Southeast-facing slopes on limestone, marl, and clay soils
- Originally cadastered under the alternate name Aux Cheuzots
- Named by Claude Noisot, an officer in Napoleon's Imperial Guard
- The label reproduces François Rude's sculpture 'Le Réveil de Napoléon'
- Located at the western edge of Fixin village, Côte de Nuits
History and Napoleonic Heritage
The vineyard was originally cadastered as Aux Cheuzots, its current name owing everything to Claude Noisot, a devoted officer who served in Napoleon's Imperial Guard and accompanied the Emperor into exile on the Island of Elba. Noisot settled in Fixin after Napoleon's death and commissioned the sculptor François Rude to create 'Le Réveil de Napoléon' (The Awakening of Napoleon), a statue now reproduced on the wine's label. Domaine Pierre Gelin purchased the then-bare vineyard in 1950 and has since held a complete monopoly on its production, shaping the wine's identity across every subsequent vintage.
- Original cadastral name: Aux Cheuzots
- Named by Claude Noisot, Imperial Guard officer and Napoleon loyalist
- Label artwork: François Rude's sculpture 'Le Réveil de Napoléon'
- Pierre Gelin purchased the vineyard in 1950 as a bare plot
Terroir and Vineyard Characteristics
Clos Napoléon sits at the western edge of Fixin village on southeast-facing slopes, a classic Côte de Nuits aspect that maximises morning sun exposure while protecting the vines from the coolest afternoon winds. The soils combine limestone and marl with clay deposits, a structure that promotes both drainage and moisture retention. The cool continental climate of the Côte de Nuits ensures a long, slow ripening season, building the tension and mineral character that defines wines from this site. At just 1.83 hectares, the vineyard is among the smallest Premier Cru plots in Burgundy.
- Southeast-facing aspect for optimal morning sun exposure
- Limestone and marl base with clay deposits
- Cool continental climate typical of the Côte de Nuits
- One of Burgundy's smallest Premier Cru vineyard sites
Wine Style and Character
Clos Napoléon produces Pinot Noir that reflects the firmer, more structured side of Fixin, a commune known for wines with more muscle than the celebrated appellations further south on the Côte de Nuits. Expect deep color and a firm tannic backbone supported by mineral intensity from the limestone and marl. The aromatic profile runs through dark cherry, earth, wood spice, tobacco, and liquorice. These wines reward patience and benefit from several years of cellaring to soften their structure and allow their complexity to fully emerge.
- Deep color and firm tannins are hallmarks of the style
- Aromatic notes: dark cherry, earth, wood spice, tobacco, liquorice
- Mineral character driven by limestone and marl soils
- Structured wines suited to medium-term cellaring
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Open Wine Lookup →Producer: Domaine Pierre Gelin
Domaine Pierre Gelin is the sole producer of Clos Napoléon, holding an outright monopole on the vineyard. The domaine has stewarded the site since 1950, planting and developing the vineyard from its bare state and establishing the wine's reputation over decades. As the exclusive custodian of this historically significant plot, Pierre Gelin's bottling is the definitive and only expression of Clos Napoléon available on the market.
- Sole producer with complete monopole ownership
- Purchased and planted the vineyard from bare land in 1950
- Only producer bottling this Premier Cru designation
Dark-colored, well-structured Pinot Noir with firm tannins, mineral intensity, and an aromatic profile of dark cherry, earth, wood spice, tobacco, and liquorice. The limestone and marl soils contribute a distinctive mineral backbone.
- Domaine Pierre Gelin Fixin Premier Cru Clos Napoléon$45-75The sole monopole producer; the only bottling of this historically significant Premier Cru available on the market.Find →
- Clos Napoléon is a 1.83-hectare Premier Cru monopole in Fixin, held entirely by Domaine Pierre Gelin since 1950
- The alternate cadastral name is Aux Cheuzots; the current name honors Claude Noisot, an officer in Napoleon's Imperial Guard
- Southeast-facing slopes on limestone, marl, and clay soils in the cool continental Côte de Nuits climate
- The wine's label reproduces François Rude's sculpture 'Le Réveil de Napoléon,' commissioned by Noisot
- Fixin wines are known for firmer structure and deeper color compared to more southerly Côte de Nuits communes