Domaine Prieuré-Roch has always had a strong place in my heart; a tasting in 2004 or 2005 in Copenhagen with Henry Roch really spurred my love of these wines.
It’s now been almost seven years since Henry Roch passed away, and the estate is showing great form – perhaps a bit more streamlined? or polished? – but with unique and lively personalities like Antonio Quari, its charismatic winemaker; and Jannick Champ, now the manager of the Roch domain.
I do like the spirit of Henri Roch
The wines today
I find the wines even sharper than they used to be, and Antonio has succeeded in maintaining a nice coolness even in the recent hotter vintages.
2018 is on the hot and somewhat volatile side, but the other vintages are kept in place and the 2022 vintage has a gorgeous resemblance to the 2002 vintage … one of the best vintages from Domaine Prieuré Roch so far. I love the 2002 and the 2022 vintages for the vivid fruit … good and vivid fruit … frais et léger.
The Prieuré-Roch spirit
The spirit of Domaine Prieuré-Roch has always been special and experimental, albeit with great respect for history and tradition. Henry Roch was in some ways larger than life, and also a man that enjoyed the best: wines, food, cigars – you name it.
I recall him kneeling in Ensemble (a two-star restaurant in Copenhagen), praising the chef Mikkel Maarbjerg for a truly gorgeous meal. And he was right: That is still the best meal I have ever tasted on Danish soil. It was an emotional outburst showing exactly the hedonistic qualities one should look for.
The concept of vins d’émotion is in many ways created around the Prieuré-Roch ethos: the no-compromise attitude and willingness to take chances in the pursuit of creating great, emotional bottles.
So, let’s taste!
Domaine Prieuré-Roch Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus Les Gollardes 2022
The Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus Les Gollardes 2022 is one of the new wines from the northern backside of Savigny … cool and steep vineyards give a terroir that can provide lovely acidity and minerality. The Gollardes is a beautiful wine with a delightful balance. I like this wine and with 2022 vintage as a base … this is clearly the best white I have tasted from Roch (so far).
(Drink From 2025) – Fine – 
Domaine Prieuré-Roch Vin de France 2022
Ladoix in 2022 was generous… in fact, too generous. This leaves the vignerons two choices … either to reduce the harvest to stay within the limitations of the rules or to declare the wine as Vin de France where you can raise the big finger to these sometimes stupid rules. Prieuré-Roch decided to make it a Vin de France, as this allows them to make a wine without green harvest and other efforts to reduce the yield. In this case, the grapes gave a lovely vin de soif … a bit on the wild side (VA) but not extreme … a tribute to the Roch style with the 2022 fruit giving the wine a lovely cool lift. I like it!
(Drink From 2027) – Very Good – Tasted 27/03/2023 – 
Domaine Prieuré-Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Corvées Vieilles Vignes 2022
The Nuits Clos des Corvées VV is a delightful glass. In 2022, Prieuré-Roch produced two cuvées from Corvées … this the vieilles vignes and then the top cuvées “CLOS DES CORVÉES MONOPOLEVIEILLES VIGNES” made from millerandes grapes. The “regular” Vielles Vignes is is a true delight with the elegant tribute to the southern Nuits-Saint-Georges. The current cuvées of Clos des Corvées were created in 2002 … and fittingly, the 2022 vintage sends a lovely reference back to the 2002 vintage … a reference of delightful and intense fruit … frais et legere. I love it.
(Drink From 2033) – Very Fine –
Domaine Prieuré-Roch Gevrey-Chambertin Les Clos des Varoilles 2022
This is a relatively new wine for Prieuré-Roch, from vines located in the Combe de Lavaux. It’s a large vineyard divided into two parcels: one on the lower edge of the Combe de Lavaux and the other higher up. This Cuvée comes from the cooler bottom part, hence giving a livelier, more vivid wine. The acidity is good and energetic, and while not as complex as Les Suchots or Clos des Corvées, it has a delicious liveliness from the 2022 fruit … and a gorgeous energy from the terroir and vintage. A delightful wine … vin d’émotion.
(Drink From 2033) – Very Fine –
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- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger