Domaine Rollin Père & Fils "Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru" 2019
About the wine:
• Appellation: AOC Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru
• Varietals: Chardonnay (100%)
• Average Alcohol by Volume: 13%
In The Vineyard:
• Parcel Names, Slopes, and Locations: From two parcels in the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. The first is a south-facing, mid-slope area of vines in the Aloxe-Corton section. The second is at the top of the south-west facing slope in the Pernand section.
• Soil Types and Compositions: Limestone-clay
• Vine Age, Training, and Density: Vines in Aloxe section plantted 1976; vines in Pernand section planted 1948. All vines 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 (50% new) • Press Wine: Blended after pressing
• Fining and Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered
In The Glass:
The first half of a tasting at Rollin always culminates with this, one of the keystone white Burgundies of the Rosenthal portfolio. We have collectively experienced dozens of older bottles through the years, and it is a wine that never fails to dazzle. It spends a full two winters in the cellar as per tradition, and it wears its 50% new oak effortlessly.
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.