Visit Domaine Roulot – tasting of the 2015s from cask

One of the highlights of the year is the tasting of the latest vintage from Domaine Roulot in Meursault. The wines of Domaine Roulot is a benchmark for the whites in my view, as they always are among the best wines in each vintage – and furthermore they always reflect the style and nature of the vintage in the best possible way.

It was therefore interesting to see what Roulot has made of the rather hot and rich 2015 vintage, and how this would interact with the house style.

Normally I taste the Roulot wines in end March – in some years after bottling – but in this vintage the tasting was in late January before bottling.

The tasting this year was with David Croix who recently began at Domaine Roulot, as the wingman of Jean-March Roulot. It is a tremendous possibility for David Croix to learn from Roulot – and I would like to add it’s also a great asset for Jean-Marc to have such talent in the house as an inspiration … so I actually expect great things from this duo in the years to come.

The 2015s from Domaine Roulot

The 2015s from Roulot are – as expected – lovely as the house style works very well also in a rich and ripe vintage. I do feel that Roulot has done a very fine job working with this vintage – rather than fight the nature or the vintage. It is very difficult to hide that the 2015s is a hot vintage – but a fine and beautiful balance can be found as the energy in the fruit is both charming and quite enjoyable.

The acidity of the white 2015s is low, but they are saved by the good PH, that supply the perceived freshness and charm on the mid-palate.

In my view Roulot has struck a nice balance with the 2015s – but they are on the rich and ripe side – especially compared to the classic and very refined 2014s.

The 2015s are charming and quite energetic – offering a nice balanced expression of the different Meursault terroirs. I do normally have my usual favorites in the Roulot lineup – but this is a bit different in 2015, as other wines seems to excel in these rather hot conditions – see more under the recommendations.

Photo: David Croix 2017

Domaine Roulot … the 2015 vintage – tasted January 2017

To the notes …

Domaine Roulot, Bourgogne Blanc 2015
The Bourgogne Blanc 2015 from Roulot is a tremendous effort for the vintage… with a true expression of the house style. In the nose vibrant but predominantly yellow fruits – some exotic notes of pineapple, peach and acacia – and with a nice citrus infused minerality. On the palate, rich and generous fruit … charming and balanced. A generous wine with a good weight and quality for this level  … 

(Drink From 2018) – Good – (86 – 88p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault 2015
The “generic” Meursault 2015 from Roulot is showing a nice and cool side of the 2015 vintage. The bouquet is quite forward offering a ripe yet cooler expression of yellow orchard fruits brought forward by a filigree citrus infused minerality. On the palate pure and charming with a quite weighty fruit – nicely balanced with a nice vivid freshness on the mid-palate. A charming and enjoyable village.

(Drink From 2022) – Good++ – (88 – 89p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Meix Chaveaux 2015
The Meix Chaveaux 2015 is a truly lovely wine – where the terroir really suits the vintage well. The bouquet offer rich and expressive orchard fruits – some exotic notes of white peach, acacia and pineapple – infused with a nice chalky minerality and some fresh citrus notes. On the palate rich, almost velvet fruit – surprisingly vibrant and juicy – creating a very harmonious and vivid mid-palate fruit. A very charming and harmonious wine – nice richly playful mid-palate.

(Drink From 2024) – Very Good+ – (90 – 91p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2015
Moving up the slope … Meursault Les Luchets 2015 – located above Meix Chaveaux. This is showing a bit more of the ripe nature of the vintage as well as a more mineral character. In the bouquet quite ripe and generous orchard fruits with sweeter hints of honey, acacia flower, pineapple and a filigree and powerful citrus infused minerality. On the palate fine ripe fruit – nice exotic mid-palate fruit  – brought forward by the quite vivid freshness and relatively intense minerality. It’s finely balanced but somehow seem to struggle a bit more with the vintage than the velvet Meix Chaveaux.

(Drink From 2022) – Very Good – (89 – 90p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Vireuils 2015
Moving further up … the Meursault Vireuls 2015 show the same tendensies as Les Luchets. The bouquet is quite forward offering a quite rich and perfumed fruit, peach, pineapple, white flowers spiced with and focused by a quite intense minerality. On the palate pure and quite ripe fruit – quite intense with a charming mid-palate energy. A balanced wine that will need time to unfold.

(Drink From 2022) – Very Good – (89 – 90p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tillets 2015
The Meursault Les Tillets – made even higher up on the slope (and south) – is a mineralic powerhouse this year with a more exotic side than usual. In the bouquet ripe and intense yellow fruit with hints of white peach, accacia and pineapple – powered by a stony/flinty minerality. On the palate rich and ripe .. quite sweet fruit .. focused and envigorated by the vibrant mineral backbone. It’s a bit of a yin/yang effect going on between the rich fruit and the structuring minerality.

(Drink From 2022) – Very Good – (89 – 90p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tesson Clos de Mon Plaisir 2015
The Meursault Les Tesson 2015 is a big step up in concentration and intensity – well up into 1er cru territory power and quality wise. In the bouquet deeper and more intense fruit .. balanced .. with a quite cool aroma profile that style wise remind e about Meix Chaveaux – taken up a notch or two intensity wise. On the palate layers of deep and juicy fruit – generous and intense, with a very long and balanced finish. This is 1er cru power and quality .. a big village and a very long and powerful wine. The terroir really suits the vintage – rendering a lovely complexity to the ripe fruit.

(Drink From 2025) – Fine – (91 – 92p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Porusot 2015
The Porusot is a step up in mineralic intensity in its own slightly rustic or edgy way (I’m not a fan of Poruzot) … although this is remarkably cool for a Poruzot in this hot vintage. The nose is bursting with minerality and a offers a nice balance between the rich slightly exotic yellow fruit and the citrus infused mineral notes. On the palate rich and quite cool fruit supported by the powerful minerality and the reductive notes. Appear fresher than the Tesson – but is somehow lacking the refined complexity of this wine .. actually have them quite evenly matched. 

(Drink From 2025) – Fine – (91 – 92p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Charmes 2015
The Meursault Charmes is doing a very good job in the 2015 vintage offering more freshness and balance than expected. The nose is bursting with a nice cool fruit .. intense predominantly yellow orchard fruits – nicely balanced by a fine citrus infused minerality. On the palate intense but cool fruit – very well balanced offering a elegant and refined mid-palate fruit. A lovely Meursault Charmes for the vintage.

(Drink From 2025) – Very Fine – (92 – 93p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Clos des Boucheres 2015
The Meursault Clos des Boucheres 2015 is a brilliant effort – very cool and airy for the vintage and in perfect balance. One of the top whites of the vintage. The nose is offering effortless cool fruit – more white fruit than in the other wines – giving it a more airy and cool expression – beautifully focused by the filigree minerality of this delicate terroir. On the palate very refined and airy – intense yet light-footed – in perfect balance. This is a tremendous wine – and while Les Perrieres  is the bigger wine – this is a true treat and a wine or remarkable beauty in this vintage.

(Drink From 2026) – Very Fine+ – (93 – 94p) – Tasted 25/01/2017

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Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Perrieres 2015
The Meursault Perrieres 2015 is a powerhouse of a Meursault – and the hot vintage seem to be converted into a very balanced but also very powerful wine – just as the style wise similar but less powerful Tesson. The bouquet offer deep and powerful yellow orchard fruits – some exotic notes – pineapple, acacia, peach .. intense and quite cool without sweeter notes disturbing the freshness. On the palate very charming fruit – quite vibrant and very long and intense with a grand cru like power in the finish. A very big and powerful Les Perrieres – quite a contrast to the cool and filigree 2014. This is a mighty effort in this vintage .. will be exiting to follow.

(Drink From 2027) – Very Fine+ –  (94 – 95p) – Tasted 27/01/2017

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Winehog Recommendations

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Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Meix Chavaux 1992 June 30, 2020
• Domaine Roulot Meursault Charmes 2007 June 27, 2020
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Meix Chaveaux 2008 December 23, 2016
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2011 September 4, 2016
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tillets 2010 August 29, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tillets 2013 August 24, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Bourgogne Blanc 2013 August 19, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Tesson 2013 August 16, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Poruzot 2013 August 10, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Charmes 2013 August 9, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Clos des Boucheres 2013 August 9, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Perrieres 2013 August 8, 2015
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Meix Chaveaux 2010 December 12, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2012 December 11, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2012 May 27, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Porusot 2012 May 25, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Tesson 2012 May 15, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Meix Chaveaux 2012 May 8, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault 2012 May 6, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Bourgogne Blanc 2012 May 4, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Clos des Boucheres 2012 April 25, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Perrieres 2012 April 20, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tesson 2011 April 7, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Tessons 2007 April 2, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Perrieres 2005 March 31, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, “R” Meursault 2010 February 11, 2014
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Luchets 2008 September 17, 2013
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Les Vireuils 2010 September 16, 2013
• Domaine Roulot, Bourgogne Blanc 2010 September 6, 2012
• Domaine Guy Roulot, Le Meix Chavaux 2010 July 19, 2012
• Domaine Roulot, Les Tessons – Clos de Mon Plaisir 2008 May 8, 2012
• Domaine Roulot, Meursault Tillets 2009 February 15, 2012

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