2021 Domaine Joseph Roty Marsannay Rouge "Les Ouzeloy", Burgundy, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Domaine Joseph Roty "Les Ouzelay" Marsannay is crafted with Pinot Noir from 60-plus-year-old vines. The grapes are 100% destemmed, undergoing a three-week fermentation at cool temperatures, followed by time in oak — around 50% new — before bottling without fining or filtration. The wine displays beautiful aromas of dark cherry fruit with a hint of truffle. The palate is intensely concentrated with flavors of black cherry and stone fruit sensuously entwined with a subtle earthy minerality. This is a stellar wine from a stellar producer. It continues to open up in the glass, delivering layer upon layer of flavor and complexity. Enjoyable now, but these wines are made to age. A delicious pairing with roasted pork loin, assorted game — pheasant and rabbit — or any soft, creamy cheeses.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Domaine Joseph Roty boasts one of the largest concentrations of old vines in Burgundy, averaging about 65 years. The domaine is fanatical about old vines, they have some of the oldest in France, the living ambassadors of the affinity the Roty’s so obviously feel for their land. Coupled with late picking, which further concentrates yields and with fermentation below 30 degrees, and a cuvaison of three weeks, the structure and complexity is consequentially remarkable and the winemaking uncompromising in achieving this. With a little age these wines develop wonderful aromatics with the characteristic Pinot Noir flavours of black cherry and stone fruit. The old vine fruit contributes the length of flavour and great complexity. Roty’s Charmes Chambertin Cuvée Trѐs Vieilles Vignes is largely harvested from vines of over 120 years.

One of the great domaines of Gevrey. Pierre-Jean has taken up the reins and seems to intent on following the families somewhat idiosyncratic, uncompromising path. “Nothing changes” as Madame Roty told us on our last visit. These are not fashion-conscious wines, everything is destemmed, new oak is relatively high, around 50% on the village wines, 60-70% on the Lieux-Dit and 100% on the Grand Cru. They are wines made to age, there is little point opening them young.