For all the fanatics of bourgogne and those who are familiar with Meursault. Beside Jean-François Coche-Dury and Dominique Lafon of Comtes Lafon, it would have to be Jean-Marc Roulot of Domaine Guy Roulot being the next super-star in this white wine predominant village. I was once told by a reputable burgundy négociant of the following remarks, "the best vineyard lies in Puligny-Montrachet; Chassagne-Montrachet owned by the best winemaker; but, the best vigneron, got to be those from Meursault".
Let's walk through some history of Meursault. The earliest record in history on Meursault was in 1102 when Duck Odo II donated the land in Meursault to Cîteaux. Along with Clos-de-Vouegot, Meursault was the most important viticultural territory for Cîteaux. Such significance can further witness that, it is Meursault rather then Puligny which is the Hospices de Beaune's white wine holdings.
"At Meursault, only white wines are made, because there is too much stone for the red." - Thomas Jefferson (1787)
Accordingly to Dr. Jules Lavalle in his Histore et Statistique de la Vigne et des Grands Vins de la Côte d'Or (1855) clearly stated that, Meursault was once, widely planted with pinot noir. André Jullien (Topographie de Tous les Vignobles Connus - 1815) also mentioned that, Meursault reds of the Santenots lieu-dit on the Volnay border produced a wine similar to those of Volnay quality. However, over the years, the increase demand for white Meursault like Genevrières and Gouttes d'Or (Jefferson's favorite Meursault), along with their high price command in Hospices de Beaune, fetching 450 francs per queue (equivalent of two barrels of 228 liters each. common white wine commanded just 75-90 per queue) reds have slowly fallen out of fashion.
The highly lucrative sale for Meursault has also resulted in many vignerons starting their own domaine-bottling. Which explain why today, Meursault has the most domaine bottlings in the whole Côte d'Or - well over 100, which is four time more than Puligny-Montrachet and double of those of Gevrey.
The Meursault appellation can be very confusing. It stretches from Monthélie-Volnay in the north and hamlet of Blagny towards the south-east, which adjacent to the neighbor of Auxey-Duresses. There are total of 89 lieu-dits, excluding those of Blagny, out of which, twenty-nine are premiers crus. There are no grand crus in this appellation despite many would argue that, Meursault 1er Cru Perrières (especially Albert Grivault's monopole Clos des Perrières) with their class and refinement could well be promoted to a grand cru. The best vineyard in Meursault lies towards Blagny, with soils dominated with Bathonian origin over Callovian limestone, as well as Argovian white marl. The vineyard here rises up to 300 metres, with an ideal southeast facing position. Up-the-slope, where additional broken limestone debris can be found lies the best lieu-dit of Meursault - Perrières Dessous. Interesting to note that, prior to the implementation of Appellation contrôlée in 1930, the best white wine of Blagny was actually not part of Meursault. Despite, the glory days of Meursault reds are long gone, you can still find some premier cru Blagny rouge from Domaine Vincent Leflaive or those made by Thierry Matrot (or, Joseph Matrot).
Guy Roulot -
"The glory of French wine lies of their prize for distinction", said Matt Kramer in his book - making sense of Burgundy. It was through such long-standing delight in differences and an acceptance of ambiguity. The French has become the master of terroir, where their devotion for terroir has inspired the generation of wine lover and the discovery of great vineyards such as Romanée-Conti or Montrachet. At the same token, one only require to try the two Meursualt premier crus and five of the village lieu-dits of Domaine Guy Roulot to discover the existence of the true terroir.
Despite five generations of Roulot in Meursault, it was Jean-Marc Roulot's grand-father, the late Paul Roulot began to switch his family business from distiller to grape-grower. Paul Roulot started to acquire land, which he bought the first village lieu-dit of Meix-Chavaux after the first World War. When Paul's son, Guy Roulot took over the business, more vineyards were purchased. Guy through marrying a Coche (Madame Genevière Roulot was the cousin of Georges Coche, father of Jean-François Coche-Dury) where he inherited the Meursault Tillets, Auxey-Duresses Les Duresses and the Monthélie and the Bourgogne Aligoté. Meursault Luchet and Tessons were also acquired in the 1950s, and more Luchets in 1975. He subsequently share a parcel of Perrières with his good friend, Pierre Matrot. Guy Roulot was among the very first to vinify and bottled all his cuvée separately and not just the primer cru, but the village lieu-dit such as Luchets, Tessons, Tillets...etc.
Guy Roulot tragically died in 1982 at the age of fifty-three. His immediate successor was his son, Jean-Marc Roulot. At that time, the twenty-seven-year-old Jean-Marc was more interested in his classical actor-career. Madame Roulot had no choice but to seek an outsider to continue the family business. Through the introduction of Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, Ted Lemon (current proprietor/winemaker of Littorai), an American and former apprentice of Seysses was brought in and handled the winemaking between 1983-84. The departure of Lemon was later replaced by Roulot's cousin Frank Grux, who continued to make wine for Roulot for the next four years before joining Olivier Leflaive Frères. Finally in October 1988, Jean-Marc Roulot decided to return to Meursault and since, he has expanded the domaine further into Monthélie.
Let's walk through some history of Meursault. The earliest record in history on Meursault was in 1102 when Duck Odo II donated the land in Meursault to Cîteaux. Along with Clos-de-Vouegot, Meursault was the most important viticultural territory for Cîteaux. Such significance can further witness that, it is Meursault rather then Puligny which is the Hospices de Beaune's white wine holdings.
"At Meursault, only white wines are made, because there is too much stone for the red." - Thomas Jefferson (1787)
Accordingly to Dr. Jules Lavalle in his Histore et Statistique de la Vigne et des Grands Vins de la Côte d'Or (1855) clearly stated that, Meursault was once, widely planted with pinot noir. André Jullien (Topographie de Tous les Vignobles Connus - 1815) also mentioned that, Meursault reds of the Santenots lieu-dit on the Volnay border produced a wine similar to those of Volnay quality. However, over the years, the increase demand for white Meursault like Genevrières and Gouttes d'Or (Jefferson's favorite Meursault), along with their high price command in Hospices de Beaune, fetching 450 francs per queue (equivalent of two barrels of 228 liters each. common white wine commanded just 75-90 per queue) reds have slowly fallen out of fashion.
The highly lucrative sale for Meursault has also resulted in many vignerons starting their own domaine-bottling. Which explain why today, Meursault has the most domaine bottlings in the whole Côte d'Or - well over 100, which is four time more than Puligny-Montrachet and double of those of Gevrey.
The Meursault appellation can be very confusing. It stretches from Monthélie-Volnay in the north and hamlet of Blagny towards the south-east, which adjacent to the neighbor of Auxey-Duresses. There are total of 89 lieu-dits, excluding those of Blagny, out of which, twenty-nine are premiers crus. There are no grand crus in this appellation despite many would argue that, Meursault 1er Cru Perrières (especially Albert Grivault's monopole Clos des Perrières) with their class and refinement could well be promoted to a grand cru. The best vineyard in Meursault lies towards Blagny, with soils dominated with Bathonian origin over Callovian limestone, as well as Argovian white marl. The vineyard here rises up to 300 metres, with an ideal southeast facing position. Up-the-slope, where additional broken limestone debris can be found lies the best lieu-dit of Meursault - Perrières Dessous. Interesting to note that, prior to the implementation of Appellation contrôlée in 1930, the best white wine of Blagny was actually not part of Meursault. Despite, the glory days of Meursault reds are long gone, you can still find some premier cru Blagny rouge from Domaine Vincent Leflaive or those made by Thierry Matrot (or, Joseph Matrot).
Guy Roulot -
"The glory of French wine lies of their prize for distinction", said Matt Kramer in his book - making sense of Burgundy. It was through such long-standing delight in differences and an acceptance of ambiguity. The French has become the master of terroir, where their devotion for terroir has inspired the generation of wine lover and the discovery of great vineyards such as Romanée-Conti or Montrachet. At the same token, one only require to try the two Meursualt premier crus and five of the village lieu-dits of Domaine Guy Roulot to discover the existence of the true terroir.
Despite five generations of Roulot in Meursault, it was Jean-Marc Roulot's grand-father, the late Paul Roulot began to switch his family business from distiller to grape-grower. Paul Roulot started to acquire land, which he bought the first village lieu-dit of Meix-Chavaux after the first World War. When Paul's son, Guy Roulot took over the business, more vineyards were purchased. Guy through marrying a Coche (Madame Genevière Roulot was the cousin of Georges Coche, father of Jean-François Coche-Dury) where he inherited the Meursault Tillets, Auxey-Duresses Les Duresses and the Monthélie and the Bourgogne Aligoté. Meursault Luchet and Tessons were also acquired in the 1950s, and more Luchets in 1975. He subsequently share a parcel of Perrières with his good friend, Pierre Matrot. Guy Roulot was among the very first to vinify and bottled all his cuvée separately and not just the primer cru, but the village lieu-dit such as Luchets, Tessons, Tillets...etc.
Guy Roulot tragically died in 1982 at the age of fifty-three. His immediate successor was his son, Jean-Marc Roulot. At that time, the twenty-seven-year-old Jean-Marc was more interested in his classical actor-career. Madame Roulot had no choice but to seek an outsider to continue the family business. Through the introduction of Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, Ted Lemon (current proprietor/winemaker of Littorai), an American and former apprentice of Seysses was brought in and handled the winemaking between 1983-84. The departure of Lemon was later replaced by Roulot's cousin Frank Grux, who continued to make wine for Roulot for the next four years before joining Olivier Leflaive Frères. Finally in October 1988, Jean-Marc Roulot decided to return to Meursault and since, he has expanded the domaine further into Monthélie.
Since Jean-Marc Roulot has taken over the controlled of his family operation. He has slowly moving his family 10.2 hectares of vineyards towards organic farming. He believed, by respecting the micro-organisms in his vineyard will help to develop a better root system which will than take on different element from various layers of sub-soil and the mother rock. The resulting wine will express more precisely on their origin. In the cuverie, Roulot's job was to enable to further enhance the unique personality of each wine. Fermentations take place in wood, and generally only 20-30 per cent new, mainly from Allier. Only indigenous yeast are used. Roulot is not a great believer of bâtonnage. To him, "by creating richness, you will result heaviness in wine, which you will than loses the elegance and purity". "Aromatic, purity, balance and elegance is what I strive to achieve in my wine", said Roulot.
1 comment:
I had the pleasure of working for Guy Roulot in the early 1970's. A true gentleman.
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