One thing you could say about Burgundy labels is that the more complicated they are, the better (and more expensive) the wine is. That’s the basic idea, anyway—that when you see something extra on there, be it a coveted “Premier Cru” or “Grand Cru” designation or a different quality signifier such as vieilles vignes (“old vines”), you’re getting more wine. Today’s wine contains no extraneous verbiage on its label, but there’s more wine than you could possibly imagine inside.
It’s a little jarring, in fact, to be confronted with a village-level Burgundy bottling that so dramatically upends the established order. There isn’t even a mention of the well-placed lieu-dits (named vineyards) that supply this wine, even though both vineyards are regularly called out on other labels. The wine itself does all the talking here, and boy, does it speak volumes—something savvy Burgundy buyers have known for years. In normal times, this wine is tightly allocated by its importer, with top restaurant buyers getting first dibs. But these aren’t normal times, and this is no normal “village” wine. I’d rank it among the best red Burgundy values we’ve ever offered, so grab some of our limited supply before it’s gone!
In addition to showcasing an artisanal family domaine at the very top of its game, Domaine Rollin’s 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses makes a convincing case for its village of origin, which sits opposite the Grand Crus of the Corton hill. Because Pernand-Vergelesses is sort of tucked into its place, at the convergence of two narrow valleys, its vineyards don’t always soak up as much sunlight as some of their more-famous neighbors, but whether it’s a warming climate or simply great farming and winemaking from the likes of Domaine Rollin, Pernand-Vergelesses has been consistently wowing us with the transcendent quality of its wines—both reds and whites alike. If, like other Burgundy hounds, you want to explore the Côte d’Or’s most distinguished “outer boroughs,” Pernand needs to be your first stop.
And once in Pernand-Vergelesses, Domaine Rollin is first on the hit list. Simon Rollin represents the fourth generation to helm this small propery, which covers about 12 hectares of vineyards in five separate communes (P-V, of course, along with Savigny-lès-Beaune, Echevronne, Aloxe Corton, and Chorey-lès-Beaune). Although not certified, their farming is organic and meticulous, with all red grapes hand-sorted both in the vineyard and the cellar before they are pressed. The wines undergo long, ambient-yeast fermentations and extended aging in 15% new oak barrels before bottling. If you love old-school Burgundy Pinot Noir in all its woodsy, finessed glory, Rollin’s lineup is for you.
Today’s wine is their red-wine flagship, and it’s important to note its vineyard sources, even if the Rollins do not do so on the label. The two most important plots used in this wine are “Les Pins,” a southwest-facing lieu-dit on the northern side of Pernand-Vergelesses , and “Les Noirets,” to the south, which literally sits across the street from the “En Charlemagne” subsection of Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne. Both are sites that challenge the conventional wisdom as to what should be classified as Premier Cru, and both are held in high-enough regard to be regularly cited on labels from other producers.
Today’s ’17 is one of those “young” red Burgundies that throws you for a loop—seductive, silky, and beautifully balanced right now, but likely to continue getting better over the next 20 years. The secret is precision balance, and this wine has it. In the glass, it’s a medium ruby-garnet moving to pink at the rim, with a bouquet of flowers and a basket full of ripe red fruits awaiting you as you put nose to glass. Cherry, wild strawberry, raspberry, and rose petals share the stage with black tea, black pepper, smoke, and underbrush. It is medium-bodied and perfectly, elegantly at home in that body, with loads of length on the finish and a fine-grained quality to the tannins that belies its youth. It is fresh and lively without being austere and so unmistakably “Burgundian” it should be used to teach classes in wine schools (and if there was more of it, it probably would be). Decant it 45 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees and pair it with roast chicken, salmon with lentils, or braised pork shoulder. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better red Burgundy at this price point, and I think you’ll feel the same. Cheers!
