Emmanuel Rouget: every Burgundy lover has heard his name. It is never an easy task to follow in the footsteps of a legend, especially one like the late great Henri Jayer and the legacy he left in the wine world. A pioneer and certainly one of the greatest vigneron of his generation, an advocate for the purity of fruit of Pinot Noir.
Rouget, nephew of Jayer, was mentored and trained by his uncle at Domaine Henri Jayer in the early eighties until Emmanuel started his own domaine in 1985. Over the years Emmanuel Rouget has remained faithful to the techniques he grew up with, in the search of the same perfection and purity his uncle was looking for in his wines. The vines in the vineyard have very low yields, the bunches are completely destemmed and, after cold maceration, they are fermented and undergo élevage in 100% new oak. His wines are often compared to Jayer’s as they can reach the same level of finesse and are widely sought-after. They are perfumed, pure, and very long-lived, coming from some of the best plots of Vosne-Romanée.
These are wines that need time in bottle to fully reveal their personality. We are grateful to offer vintages that are mature and now drinking beautifully.
• The Beaumonts 2008 is fragrant and has that Vosne spiciness that makes it so fresh and appealing.
• The Echezeaux drinks marvelously today, it exhibits impressive power and depth yet impresses with a suave texture
• Cros Parantoux – an iconic vineyard (also shared by Jayer) – is the most restrained and needs time to reveal its “mystique”. This is such a precise and deep wine, layered with purity and complexity, it is also quite intellectual.
If you are a fan of Jayer, I encourage you to compare his wines alongside Rouget’s, especially Cros Parantoux. See for yourself how much Rouget has taken on from his uncle.
