Domaine Guy Roulot is a legendary Burgundy producer responsible for some of the finest Meursaults, if not some of the world’s finest white wines. Under his charge, this small family domaine was elevated to global stardom. Guy’s marriage to Geneviève Coche and his own hard work added more prime parcels to the family’s holdings, which he vinified and bottled separately.

Guy’s sudden death in 1982 left the family in transition, as his son and heir apparent, Jean-Marc was in Paris pursuing a career in acting. A series of three winemakers later, including biodynamic convert Ted Lemon from Sonoma’s Littorai, assisted in the changeover period until 1989, when Jean-Marc at last agreed to return to take over the reins of the estate. Today, the wines of Domaine Roulot are among the most sought after wines in all of Burgundy.

The red wines at Domaine Roulot use grapes that are de-stemmed and vinification takes place in open top wooden cuves where must is kept at a low temperature for 3 to 4 days cold maceration before fermentation, which lasts around 12 days with pump-overs and occasional punch-downs. The reds are then aged for 12-15 months in barrels, 15% to 18% of which is new oak.

Domaine Roulot Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru 2014, Cotes de Beaune, 12.5 Abv.

The 2014 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru has a very pretty aromatic profile that feels more delicate, tender, seductive and perfumed when you know the wine is made by one of the greatest white Burgundy producers. Like Coche-Dury reds and Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet reds, this alluring Roulot Burgundy speaks with its own unique authoritative voice. The nose is jam packed with red cherry, logan berry and crunchy cranberry laced with exotic notes of sweet dried coriander seeds, fresh herbal parsley notes and a subtle boxwood spice. On the palate, what strikes you immediately is it’s sleek, elegant, crystalline red fruit profile, weightless fruit concentration that is so well defined with out being brutish or too ripe and powerful. A very succulent, welcoming wine that finishes with a very more’ish bright, mouth watering acidity and a softly saline, pithy, sea breeze twang. Wonderful pedigree, lovely class in the glass. Drink now to 2030+

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)