Laurent Roumier, the elegance of the Côte de Nuits

Have you heard of Laurent Roumier? If you’re a lover of Burgundy wines, the family name will most probably evoke one of the region’s mythical signatures. Know that Laurent Roumier is none other than the very discrete but talented grandson of Georges Roumier. He too produces elegant, fresh and wonderfully balanced wines in the Côte de Nuits.

The domain Laurent Roumier has its origins in the famous domain Georges Roumier, founded in 1924. Laurent Roumier is actually the cousin of Christophe Roumier, who currently manages domain George Roumier (Christophe and Laurent’s grandfather). Having worked with his brother for several years, in 1991 he created his own domain, with 4 hectares of vines which he rented from the Roumier family. He gradually expanded the domain, and now has a dozen hectares of vines.

The vineyard, which is situated in Chambolle-Musigny is made up of:

3 hectares of vines in the Bourgogne appellation (one in the Chambolle-Musigny appellation, the other in Gilly-les-Citeaux)
6 hectares in Bourgogne-Hautes-Côte-de-Nuits («La Poirelotte » in Chambolle-Musigny also) and 0.71 hectares of the same parcel in white
8 hectares of Chambolle-Musigny villages
900m2 of Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru “Les Noirots »
650m2 of Cambolle-Musigny 1^er cru “Les Groseille »
690m2 of Chambolle-Musigny 1^er cru “Les Gruenchers”
3,620m2 of Bonnes-Mares
8,550m2 of Clos-Vougeot

The vines are on average 35 years old, and they are farmed traditionally and responsibly, “the same way his father, Alain, did”: naturally, with neither fertilizer nor herbicide. Green harvests are carried out in the summer when necessary. All of the vines are harvested by hand.

In the cellar, the work is carried out with the same level of precision. The grapes are entirely destemmed the vinified in concrete vats. Alcoholic fermentation lasts around 15 days, with pumping over and punching down every day, and the temperature is checked every day. When it comes to pressing, the team decants the wines for 12 hours in vats and then barrels (50% of which are new for the grands crus and the premiers crus, 30% for the villages and 10% for the Bourgogne Hautes-côtes-de-nuits). The élevage lasts 15 to 18 months, with the barrels being topped up once a week and racked two or three times during the entire period of élevage.

Laurent Roumier seems to be a master in the art of discretion. Yet his wines deserve the attention of wine enthusiasts, whether that be his wines to be drunk young (La Poirelotte, for instance), or his wines for cellaring. They are characterized by their fruitiness, their elegance and their good potential for aging, despite remaining accessible in their youth.

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