Domaine Roulot Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge 2017

Domaine Roulot's reputation rests overwhelmingly on its whites — Jean-Marc Roulot is widely considered among the two or three finest Meursault producers alive — which makes the Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge all the more fascinating as a window into what happens when one of Burgundy's great white wine minds turns his attention to Pinot Noir. This is Roulot's only premier cru bottling of red grapes, blended from the lieux-dits Bas de Duresses and Grand Champs — the grapes partially destemmed with 30% whole-cluster, fermented with careful extraction prior to ageing in mostly used casks. Winemaker Paul Delorme's description of the process is revealing: "all the work is in the fermentation — after that it's done, contrary to the whites." Jean-Marc's commitment to a bright, chiselled, thoroughbred style carries directly across from his whites — the mineral backbone and fresh acidity of the house style defining the red as clearly as any of the Meursaults. 

Like Coche-Dury reds and Ramonet's Chassagne rouge, this alluring Burgundy speaks with its own unique authoritative voice — the nose packed with red cherry, loganberry and crunchy cranberry laced with exotic notes of dried coriander, fresh herbal notes and a subtle boxwood spice; the palate sleek, elegant and crystalline, with weightless fruit concentration that is beautifully defined without brutishness, finishing with bright, mouthwatering acidity and a softly saline twang. The nose presents a harmonious medley of dark berries and spice, while the palate echoes the taut, crystalline character of the domaine's white wines — a chalky core underpinning a red that will drink beautifully for at least the next decade. This is one of the Côte de Beaune's most distinctive and individual reds — and one that rewards those who seek it out