Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux Grand Cru 2023
(Burgundy, France) - [BH 91-93]

About the Winery:
Domaine Emmanuel Rouget is an essential reference for any lover of Burgundy wines. Heir to the genius of Henri Jayer, Emmanuel Rouget and his sons Nicolas and Guillaume perpetuate a unique expertise, where each cuvée expresses the quintessence of the terroir of the Côte de Nuits. Emmanuel Rouget acquired his holdings gradually after he started working for his uncle, Henri Jayer in 1976. Initially, he leased the vineyards and, by 2001, all of his uncle's vineyards had been handed over to him. This included the legendary Cros Parantoux site which boasts old vines planted throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Emmanuel also worked on other family vineyards on a métayage basis and, eventually, took over some of these plots. He produced the first wine from the family vineyards under his name in the mid-1980s, after he established his Flagey-Echézeaux winery.

The Domaine Emmanuel Rouget covers 8.5 hectares in the prestigious Côte de Nuits, a region renowned for its calcareous, clay and stony soils, ideal for Pinot Noir. The estate's vines, located primarily in Vosne-Romanée, Flagey-Échezeaux, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Savigny-lès-Beaune, span all Burgundy's wine hierarchy tiers: Bourgogne, Villages, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru. The region's soils, composed of clay, limestone, and pebbles, create ideal conditions for nourishing Pinot Noir and benefit from an east and south-east exposure, promoting optimal ripeness of the grapes while preserving their freshness. The majority of wines (about 90%) are Pinot Noir but the domaine also produces a small quantity of Chardonnay, Gamay, and Aligoté.

Today, the domaine's wines are made by Emmanuel’s son Guillaume, with a sensitive and talented pair of hands. He joined Domaine Emmanuel Rouget in 2011 (when he was only 19 years old).

About this Wine:
Made from 70-year-old vines from Les Cruot and Les Treux climats. Rich, complex, and cellar-worthy with easterly aspect and clay-limestone soils. First Rouget vintage: 1985. Size: Total 1.06 ha.

Ratings & Reviews

91-93 Points - Allen Meadows' Burghound:
"Firm reduction and wood reveal nothing save for a touch of spice. As is usually the case, there is better volume but less finesse to the medium-bodied favors that are succulent, even fleshy, yet possess excellent power on the serious, structured and beautifully long finale. This is a big wine, both in the context of what is typical for Echézeaux but also in terms of the 2023 vintage. Drink 2035+." (Jan 2025)