DOMAINE ROUGEOT

DescriptionPierre-Henri Rougeot’s grandfather had been a larger-than-life character, returning from the war full of gumption. He started a business specializing in planting new vineyards, first with his three horses, and then eventually repurposing machines left behind by the Americans. They had a six-hectare polyculture and lived in the same house the current generation occupies. They also took care of Chateau de Meursault’s vines until 1972 when it closed.
Being a forward-thinking man, he acquired small plots in Pommard, Volnay-Santenots, and Meursault Charmes, all of which are still in the family. Working well into his nineties, he never fully relinquished control to Pierre-Henri’s father. Wanting to give his father his moment in the limelight, Pierre-Henri agreed to spend some time away from the family domaine before taking over. text goes here
He went to oenology school and then worked in fine wine sales, but the most impactful years were spent working for a tonnelier, selling barrels. Not only did this allow him to gain an incredible amount of knowledge about the barrels themselves (something that shows through in the wines), but it allowed him to visit other regions in France, tasting wines from a wide spectrum of producers.
His biggest revelation was while in the Loire Valley. He cold called winemaker Nicolas Reau, trying to sell him barrels. Nicolas invited him to taste (drink) his wines, Pierre-Henri reciprocated with a random bottle of cognac from his car. Over that afternoon he was compelled by Nicolas’ wines, brimming with life, unapologetic yet refined. He found his mantra to be sympathetic, a dedication to farming and honouring of the vineyard instead of the winemaker. He’d also meet Sebastien Bobinet on this trip whose wines and energy confirmed this would be his path forward when he could finally return to the domaine.
In 2009, he began helping at the family winery while starting a small négociant project. In 2010, he took over as winemaker, working with his father. It was at this time he began transitioning the estate to its current viti and vinicultural philosophy.
After converting to organic farming, Pierre-Henri took his father around to visit biodynamic farmers. Much to Pierre-Henri’s delight, he was quickly convinced to convert after tasting what he felt was a significant jump in quality. From the 2023 vintage onward, their wines are Demeter certified.
In the cellar, winemaking changed drastically, especially for the reds. Pierre-Henri claims his father never really enjoyed making red wines. He’d destem all the grapes, not for quality, but because they would take up fewer fermenters and could be drunk sooner. Now Pierre-Henri ferments primarily as whole clusters, cutting back slightly in tannic vintages. He believes intracellular fermentation only marks the wine as much as destemmed fermentations if made well. Some will argue you can achieve a degree of carbonic maceration with destemmed fruit, but Pierre-Henri doesn’t buy it, no matter how expensive your destemmer is. His father also generally did cold soaks and extended post fermentation macerations where his son prefers 8-10 days of gentle extraction. He believes harvesting at the right temperature (15-16º) is ideal for getting a healthy start to fermentation.
The SO2 regime has also shifted. Each wine is fermented and aged without SO2 with additions made only if necessary. Sometimes this means bottling half a vineyard with, and the other half without, depending on stability. Wines with diagonal labels are sans soufre, while the more classic family label sees ~20ppm. Even in his first vintage, he bottled Les Lameroses without SO2, perhaps a sign of his convictions, but he’s not willing to be a martyr; the 2013 vintage, struck by hail, taught him to be pragmatic after his sulphur-free wines didn’t live up to expectations. All these changes have resulted in a significant increase in quality.
After selling their plot in Ladoix (too far to drive on the tractor), their estate now occupies 12.5ha, 10 of which are in the commune of Meursault. For Pierre-Henri, Meursault is supposed to be made from golden, fully ripe berries. The push towards leaner and leaner wines, prizing acid above substance, doesn’t really reflect the terroir. He somehow achieves freshness via other avenues like salinity, modest reduction, and the tactical implementation of oak (La Fabrique Eric Millard, Atelier Centre France, Gauthier Freres). He admires the wines of De Montille and Lalou Bize-Leroy, and you can see that dedication to unbridled perfume and walking the razor’s edge.
He typically does two selections to ensure only the best grapes make it into his wines, once in the vineyard and another on the sorting table. In vintages like 2022, only 2% of the grapes were rejected, while in 2023 that number grew tenfold, especially for reds.
We love Pierre-Henri because he’s looking forward and backward at the same time. He’s championing Gamay Noir from Meursault, something that was super common only a few generations ago. He’s also starting a sparkling wine project and is increasingly invested in Aligoté. Barely into his forties, we couldn’t be more excited to see where he goes.

MORE FROM BURGUNDY: CLAIRE NAUDIN | LE GRAPPIN

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $63.00 (AB), $70.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103883 (AB), 339034 (BC)**

2022 BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ LES PLUMES

This cuvée comes from a lieu-dit right behind the l’Hopital de Meursault, across the RN74. The vines were planted in 1974. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $79.00 (AB), $86.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103884 (AB), 309727 (BC)**

2022 CÔTE D’OR BLANC LA MONATINE

Located three steps from Meursault’s Sous La Velle beneath the village, this site is known for its generosity. The fifty-five-year-old vines are rooted in a heavier mix of clay and limestone. These plants have much smaller berries than your typical Chardonnay. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids (some of which are new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $83.00 (AB), $92.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103886 (AB), 309738 (BC)**

2022 CÔTE D’OR BLANC LES GRANDES GOUTTES

Located directly beneath Meursault’s Les Charmes at the extreme south of the appellation, this lieu dit features marly soils. The forty-year-old vines are some of the last to be harvested. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids (some of which are new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a small amount of SO2. 14% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $75.00 (AB), $82.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 125300 (AB), 342553 (BC)**

2022 CÔTE D’OR BLANC CLOS DES 6 OUVRÉES

This is our first allocation of one of their rarest wines. It is grown in a walled vineyard in the heart of the town of Meursault, directly outside the doors of their cave. The monopole is at the base of the hill mere metres from the lieu dit of Les Chavalières. Often referred to as their ‘baby Meursault’ it benefits from a rather warm microclimate. The fifty-five-year-old vines are in clay-lime marls. Their garden only produces ~225 cases per year. The grapes were direct pressed into tank for a short cold settling before the juice is racked into barrel for fermentation and an fifteen-month élevage. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $104.00 (AB), $112.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103888 (AB), 309743 (BC)**

2022 MONTHÉLIE LES TOISIÈRES

Just across the road from Meursault’s Les Cras, this lieu-dit faces south-west. Named after the roof slats that adorn the nearby village, it features a shallow topsoil and a particularly warm microclimate. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi- muids (some of which are new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a small amount of SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $119.00 (AB), $128.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 125301 (AB), 342546 (BC)**

2022 SAINT-ROMAIN LA COMBE BAZIN

This vineyard is currently in the process of being upgraded to Saint Romain’s first premier cru. Located a full 200m above the bulk of their vineyards in Meursault, this site is much cooler. The 90-year-old vines benefit from a steep south-west exposure and their purest limestone soils. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids (some of which are new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a small amount of SO2. 13% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $187.00 (AB), $193.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103892 (AB), 309746 (BC)**

2022 MEURSAULT SOUS LA VELLE

This lieu-dit is across from the Chateau de Meursault directly beneath the village. The ratio of clay to limestone leans more to the former here. The fifty-five-year-old vines are picked later than the rest of the appellation. Although the plot is susceptible to oidium, diligent leaf pulling resulted in perfectly clean fruit. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids (seldom more than 10% new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $252.00 (AB), $261.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 125303 (AB), 342556 (BC)**

2022 MEURSAULT-CHARMES 1ER CRU

Known for making some of the most finessed wines in Meursault, Les Charmes is located at the southern end of the appellation. The gentle south-east slope and rocky, well-draining calcareous soils provide the perfect base for their top white wine. They are lower on the slope in the centre of the vineyard which has helped them build more top-soil. Their vines are sixty-five years old. Whole clusters are direct pressed into concrete for two days of cold settling before being racked into demi-muids (seldom more than 10% new) for fermentation and élevage. After fifteen months of judicious bâtonnage, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 13.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $40.00 (AB), $47.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103893 (AB), 309749 (BC)**

BOURGOGNE PASSETOUTGRAIN LA PIQUETTE

This cuvée is inspired by the Burgundian tradition of blending all the wines that don’t fit in barrel together. Although it’s primarily Pinot Noir (~60%) and Gamay Noir (~40%), a small amount of Chardonnay and Aligoté are also included. Multiple vintages are blended in a quasi-reserve perpetuelle. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with a small amount of SO2. 12% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $66.00 (AB), $74.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103894 (AB), 312856 (BC)**

2023 BOURGOGNE PASSETOUTGRAIN LES VERCHERRES

Shockingly, Gamay Noir from Meursault was once prized, so the Rougeot family has kept the tradition alive. The vineyard, just south of Meursault, was planted 1950 and 1980 and features two thirds Pinot Noir and one third Gamay Noir. The grapes are co-fermented almost entirely as whole clusters before being pressed off into 600L barrel for élevage. After seven to nine months, the wine is racked into stainless steel and then bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $82.00 (AB), $90.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103902 (AB), 309768 (BC)**

2022 CÔTE D’OR ROUGE LES LAMEROSES

This 1.5ha lieu-dit is at the southern end of Meursault on heavier marls. It is planted to the more regal Pinot Fin biotype. The wine ferments as whole clusters for two to three weeks with minimal cap management, only gentle pump overs. It is then pressed to barrel (maximum 10% new) for élevage. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $65.00 (AB), $77.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103899 (AB), 309755 (BC)**

2021 COTE D’OR ROUGE LES VAUX

This cold lieu-dit below Meursault is planted on marls. Their plot is adjacent to Coche-Dury’s Bourgogne Rouge but Pierre-Henri claims that until climate change the site wasn’t capable of much. It is planted to Pinot Droit, a biotype with particularly erect shoots. The wine ferments as whole clusters for two to three weeks with minimal cap management, only gentle pump overs. It is then pressed to barrel (maximum 10% new) for élevage. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2. 12.5% ABV

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $172.00 (AB), $183.50 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103905 (AB), 309779 (BC)**

2022 POMMARD CLOS DES ROSES

This walled monopole (formerly under the charming name Rue au Porc) is located right next to the river, L'Avant Dheune, that runs through Pommard. The forty-five-year-old vines represent less than a single hectare. The final rows are perilous because of the steep drop off. Planted on alluvial soils, they must be extra cautious to monitor for rot. Fortunately, the proximity to water is becoming increasingly beneficial with nearly annual droughts The wine ferments as whole clusters for two to three weeks with minimal cap management, only gentle pump overs. It is then pressed to barrel (maximum 30% new) for an eighteen-month élevage. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

**ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $229.00 (AB), $243.00 (BC)**
**CSPC: 103909 (AB), 309784 (BC)**

2022 VOLNAY-SANTENOTS 1ER CRU

This cuvée comes from the famed site that joins Meursault and Volnay. The bulk of their vines were planted fifty years ago while a smaller portion was replanted twenty-five years ago. Two thirds of their section is on rocky red soils while the remaining third is on grey clay; the latter doesn’t always make it into the final blend, but in certain vintages it’s complimentary. The wine ferments as whole clusters for two to three weeks with minimal cap management, only gentle pump overs. It is then pressed to barrel (maximum 30% new) for an eighteen-month élevage. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

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