Domaine Rollin Père & Fils Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc 2020
About the wine:
At a Glance:
• Appellation: AOC Pernand-Vergelesses
• Varietals: Chardonnay (100%)
• Average Residual Sugar: < 5 g/l
In The Vineyard:
• Parcel Names, Slopes, and Locations: From 4 parcels in Pernand, mostly east-facing
• Soil Types and Compositions: Limestone-clay
• Vine Age, Training, and Density: Average age 40-45 years,trained in Guyot
• Average Harvest Date and Type: Manual, usually in late September
In The Cellar:
• Fermentation: Wine ferments spontaneously in 228-l barrels • Pressing: Pneumatic, whole-cluster direct pressing
• Time on Lees: Wine remains on its lees until assemblage prior to bottling
• Malolactic Fermentation: Spontaneous, in barrel in early spring
• Élevage: 12-14 months in 228-l barrel (10% new) • Press Wine: Blended after pressing
• Fining and Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered
In The Glass:
Rollin’s basic Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc—always a knockout for the price— is a tension-filled wine that belies its proximity to the mighty Corton in its profound minerality and its power, yet displays all the freshness and focus of the Rollin style. A laser-like, crystalline nose beams limestone essence straight into the cerebellum, and the clean, kinetic, beautifully delineated palate leads to a long, overtly salty finish that leaves the drinker invigorated.
About the producer:
In its present state (as of 2011), the Rollin domaine covers twelve hectares of vineyards, eight of which are owned with the other four being rented via the system of metayage or fermage. The vineyards are spread over five separate communes (Pernand Vergelesses, Savigny les Beaune, Echevronne, Aloxe Corton and Chorey les Beaune). The estate produces approximately 60,000 bottles per year across fourteen separate appellations!
The vineyard work is meticulous and, although not certified organic, the methodology in practice is applied in a manner designed to maximize the expression of terroir by eliminating (or reducing to an absolute minimum) any treatments in the vineyards. All grapes are harvested manually and fermentations proceed with indigenous yeasts. The white wines are pressed gently and undergo long fermentations in barrel (except for the Aligoté which is raised in stainless steel tanks) and are aged on the fine lees for twelve to fifteen months. The reds are hand-sorted in both the vineyard and at the cellar before being pressed. The maceration is long and the elevage is in small barrel with the malolactic fermentation occurring therein. In almost every instance, neither the white wines nor the red wines are fined or filtered.