Tasted in Meursault with Eric Bodin, 17 October, 2019.
Domaine Roulot
1 Rue Charles Giraud
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 21 65
www.domaineroulot.fr
Eric on 2019:
“Rather dry. 3 times we had to contend with frost – 5-6 April was the worst, we lost volume in the north around Luchets and Gruyaches. We had some rain in May but after that, it was rather dry. The volume also down due to ‘not the best’ flowering conditions so we saw lots of coulure. We didn’t just have dry we had instances of 40°C too. The reds flowered a little later so were less affected – still there were some losses but probably they were mostly down to the dry rather than the flowering. Quite high alcohols but good acidity – they could become strict – let’s see…”
Eric on 2018:
“Globally, a very wet in the springtime. We were worried about mildew and oïdium in May. Flowering was perfect though which was certainly part of the generosity of the vintage. The 2017s are marked a little more by sun I think, it’s generosity. We all thought with the dry summer that there would be no juice – of-course we were all surprised – some places delivered 60 hl/ha despite us aiming for 40-45!“
The wines…
My instant impression at the end of this tasting was that I had peaked in terms of the quality that I would find in this white vintage – I have found equally good wines elsewhere, but not with the same level of consistency in one place – bravo! Perhaps address number 1 for 2018!
All the wines were racked in August and now wait in tank ‘to bring the precision.’ Bottling between February and March next year is the plan.
2018 Bourgogne Blanc
From about 4.5 hectares of vines, mainly behind the domaine but a hectare in the Puligny area too – all-told about 13 parcels.
Fine – not a nose of impact but it’s very inviting. Supple, nice textured, then a lovely finish from the middle onwards – a large wave of grapefruit agrume. Really excellent and persitant too!
2018 Meursault
Clos de la Baronne, Crotots, a little Gruyaches plus new from Sous la Velle
A nose of depth – and here is width too – mineral, faintly spiced. A little more definition, here, pure again, melting, almost shimmering over the palate. Delicious once more, the finish isn’t really longer but it’s more caressing than the Bourgogne today!
Planted by Jean-Marc’s father in 1968.
Deep again, the fine reductive agrume of the domaine – very fine. Hmm, wide, more melting style to this flavour – the style of the nose reflected in the flavours – but what flavours. Long, long, lingering on small, semi-reductive waves – delicious (again) waves of flavour. Bravo!
2018 Meursault Meix Chaveaux
The base notes of the last are here too, but lifted a little, this time augmented with a little yellow fruit and a suggestion of the floral. Mineral, perhaps extra-mineral, less of the reductive flavour though still a little – glacé citrus fruit with a lovely calming mid and finishing texture – so good…
A less effusive nose – a little classic ginger spice. Hmm – nice mouth-filling volume but here is a certain vibrancy, an energy, to the flavours. Gorgeous finishing too. A nose away from bravo today, but that will come!
“Tillets – there is none, it was pulled out after 2015 harvest but is now replanted.”
2018 Meursault Tessons, Clos de Mon Plaisir
Jean-Marc explains “I find the classification severe in Meursault, the differences between the levels are clear and well-defined though. There is logic. Though Tessons should be a 1er!” This nose starts like the Luchets but suddenly offers a vibrant flash of slightly mineral aroma – yes! Plenty to fill the mouth here – shimmering energy over the palate, slowly ingraining. Plenty of acidity but this is more an ingraining than an energetic wine – strong in the finish – bold! Excellent wine.
2018 Meursault 1er Porusot
There was a higher and lower section but the higher is now replanted, so this from dessous. First harvest from the new vines will be in 2020.
Not the widest, but beautiful depth of aroma with super clarity here – yes! Wow – intense, mobile and energetic, ingraining, the flavour through its intensity. Very grapefruit style but with an inner sweetness. Classic Poruzots and easier to appreciate than normal…
‘Charmes is earth, Genevrières is the air, Perrières is the fire,’ suggests Jean-Marc. A little frost here unfortunately in 2019, old vines planted in the 1940s.
Whilst there’s no punch to the nose, there’s a seamless width that already suggests something special. Transparent, lithe muscle, certainly mineral, such a baby – potentially grand vin – bravo!
This 1.3-hectare clos is a monopole of the domaine – 2011 was the first vintage. One-third of the vines are 25-30 years-old, the rest are over 45.
Another wine that is rather compact, aromatically, though with a fine width of subtle citrus fruit – of clarity. Ooh – that’s really rather good in the mouth – just a little more mineral and insistent than the Charmes. Beautiful in the mouth – another great wine in the making. These last two really having a special finesse… Bravo!
Vines from the 1950s.
The volume of aroma is on a low register – that’s maybe the last time I’ll use the word ‘low’ – the complexity is fabulous – this is maybe the best white thing I’ve smelled so far on this tour. Marked by its minerality, this has power but with balance. Less easy to assimilate vs the Charmes and Bouchères today but such an impression it leaves (as Yoda would say). Great wine but in this case you have to show some patience.
And how about a couple of maison wines?:
2018 JM Roulot, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Caillerets
The team here don’t get to do the vineyard work but they make the harvest.
This nose has clearly a different register – the sugared fruit and floral complexity to the fore. Supple, very modestly cushioned, practically a little calm vs the last Meursaults, but has a long, lingering finish that whilst modest in size, simply goes on and on. Excellent but I think a little behind the Meursaults…
2018 JM Roulot, Corton-Charlemagne
Hmm, now here is a nice depth of aroma – vibrating with energy. Hmm (again), now this has great definition, it has a little lean muscle and it has an open architecture. This is super in the middle and finish where there’s perhaps a weight not fully visible today, a very faint blurring, but this is top class Charlemagne with more finessing to come before bottling.
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