2016 Domaine Roulot Meursault Premier Cru 'Charmes' Cote de Beaune

Winemaker Notes: The 2015/2016 winter was the hottest recorded since 1900, resulting in an early budbreak beginning around mid-April. The vegetation was beautiful and harmonious as if waiting to greet the frost lying in ambush.

The rude awakening on the 27th of April will forever remain engraved in our minds. No vigneron can recall a frost this devastating. In one night the domaine lost 65% of its crop. Pictures taken in early May seemed to depict a winter landscape. The vegetation slowly reemerged and work in the vineyards was hampered by the resulting uneven growth. The end of the growing season brought on humid conditions leading to significant mildew pressure on the surviving grapes.

Harvest began on September 19th under summery conditions. As the damage incurred in the vineyards and the subsequent regrowth were not consistent, maturity levels varied significantly. Our focus in the cave however remained unwavering. We worked on fine tuning our sulfur protocol, not with an aim of making natural wines but in an attempt to instill a more though out and thereby moderate usage.

A meteorological incident of this magnitude is bound to have an influence on the resulting wines. They are beautiful and balanced, however, for those parcels hardest hit by the frost, a more harmonious vegetative cycle may have imparted additional energy and as such I remain cautious with regards to these wines ageing potential. On the other hand, parcels that were slightly to not affected (the 1er Crus, Tesson, Luchets) retain all their potential exhibiting a classic and dynamic profile that could carry them well into the future.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Vinous - "(one of three barrels was new; from a 1940s planting that yielded half of a normal crop in 2016): Bright medium yellow. Nose dominated by lemon zest and vanillin oak. Silky, concentrated and harmonious; in a rather rich, even creamy style but features lovely mid-palate floral lift. Sweet flavors of white peach and vanilla show no hard edges or austerity, but this wine's energy suggests that it will need more time in bottle to harmonize than the Clos des Bouchères. This very nicely balanced Charmes finishes with serious rising length."