Wine Advisor
Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2012
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2012 Meursault Luchots, like the Meix Chavaux had finished its malolactic fermentation at the end of July. It has an expressive, mineral-driven bouquet accompanied by fresh green apple and wet pavement – almost Chablis-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with a more feminine, perhaps more harmonious palate than the Meix Chavaux at present, offering light apricot and shaved ginger notes on the finish. This has great potential. Due to the exceptionally late malolactic fermentation, I only tasted around half of Jean-Marc Roulot’s 2012s. It was the usual travails that discombobulated the vineyards in 2012: poor flowering, rain in the early half of the season and pressure of mildew. The hailstorm on June 30 affected Jean-Marc’s parcels in the north of Meursault village, the second in August more those in the south. I will return next year to make a full account of his 2012s, but here are the five that were in a representative condition to taste. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524.
About the Producer
Domaine Roulot, founded by Guillaume Roulot in 1830, is well respected Meursault-based domaine producing mainly Chardonnay wines from a range of premier cru and village-level sites across the appellation. The wines are held in high esteem by critics and are much sought-after. The domaine is currently run by actor-turned-winemaker Jean-Marc Roulot. Roulot has numerous holdings across Meursault premiers crus, including 0.28 hectares (0.69 acres) in Charmes, 0.26 hectares (0.64 acres) in Perrières and 0.16 hectares (0.39 acres) in Les Bouchères, as well as 0.2 hectares (0.5 acres) in neighboring Monthélie Premier Cru Les Champs Fulliots. A further four hectares (ten acres) cover village-level vineyards in Meusault such as Les Luchets and Les Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir – a wine strongly associated with the Roulot label. All are Chardonnay based wines, although the domaine also produces an Aligoté, a Bourgogne Blanc and Rouge, an Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru, and a village-level red. The red wines are made from Pinot Noir – Burgundy's key red grape variety. Domaine Roulot established itself in the upper echelon of white Burgundy producers under the late Guy Roulot. Guy was one of the first producers of the region to bottle single vineyards separately, including village lieux-dits. He died in 1982 and his son Jean-Marc took over in 1989, farming the vineyards organically. As well as winemaking, Jean-Marc Roulot is also known for his cinematographic appearances (he initially studied screen acting in Paris), including the Burgundy-based coming-of-age film Ce Qui Nous Lie (released as "Back to Burgundy" for anglophone audiences), parts of which were filmed at the domaine
