Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux" 1er Cru 2023
(Burgundy, France) - [BH 92-94]

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:
The jewel of the estate is undoubtedly the Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Cros Parantoux, a mythical terroir created by Henri Jayer. Once a wasteland, this 0.71-hectare vineyard was transformed by Jayer using dynamite to break up the rock and plant vines in the 1950s. Today, this cru, shared with Domaine Méo-Camuzet, is celebrated for its wines of exceptional minerality and complexity.

Often regarded as a Grand Cru in all but name. Concentrated fruit balanced by good acidity in a rounded structure. First Rouget vintage: 1989. Easterly aspect with pebble, clay, limestone soils. Size: 0.71 ha.

Ratings & Reviews

92-94 Points - Allen Meadows' Burghound:
"An exuberantly fresh and spicy nose is comprised mostly of the essence of red cherry, soy, hoisin, exotic tea and an unusual if attractive hint of citrus, particularly orange peel. The racy, delicious and delineated medium weight flavors are not especially dense but they are super-sleek and built on their minerality, all wrapped in a strikingly long, well-balanced and youthfully austere finale. Like the VRBM, this is very classy juice. (Drink 2035+)" (Jan 2025)