Domaine Georges Roumier
Overview
One of the most celebrated domaines in Chambolle-Musigny and all of Burgundy, now run by Christophe Roumier. The domaine holds exceptional parcels in Bonnes-Mares, Musigny, Chambolle-Musigny “les Amoureuses” (premier cru), and several other premier and village-level Chambolle appellations, as well as Clos de la Bussière in Morey-St-Denis. Wines are among the most sought-after and expensive in Burgundy. The Bonnes-Mares is generally considered the flagship.
Appellations
- Chambolle-Musigny (villages, premier crus incl. “les Amoureuses,” “les Cras”; grand cru Bonnes-Mares, Musigny)
- Morey-St-Denis (premier cru “Clos de la Bussière”)
Key Wines
- Bonnes-Mares (grand cru) — the estate’s flagship
- Musigny (grand cru) — tiny production
- Chambolle-Musigny “les Amoureuses” — premier cru of grand cru quality
Style Notes
Christophe Roumier’s wines are the epitome of Chambolle elegance combined with Burgundian substance. The Bonnes-Mares is paradoxically both powerful and fine — a wine that can age for decades. However, Gilman reports one worrying 2024 tasting of the 2001 Bonnes-Mares that showed desiccated fruit and hints of oxidation, which he hopes was an isolated off bottle.
2022 Vintage Notes (VFTC #114)
Older vintage notes from Gilman’s 2024 tastings:
- 2001 Chambolle-Musigny “les Cras”: 93 pts (2024–2065) — “absolutely gorgeous for first 20 minutes: sappy, poised, beautifully Chambolle. However, coarse backend tannins emerged with air in a troubling way. May have been an odd bottle; served blind from impeccable provenance. Gilman: ‘I will not draw judgements without tasting another example.‘”
- 2001 Bonnes-Mares: Unscored (???) — “lacks freshness today; almost raisined quality; hints of oxidation in mid-palate; still youthfully structured. Does not know if the wine is going through a closed phase, had desiccated fruit on the vine, or beginning premox. ‘My confidence is shaken with the wine right now.‘“
2024 and 2023 Vintage Notes (Burghound #101)
Christophe Roumier was away; nephew Alexis Aubin (at domaine since 2021) presented. Flowering troubled by rain; mildew “kept us constantly in the vineyards treating.” Yields averaged 17.5 hl/ha but wildly variable. No Bourgogne or Musigny in 2024; only one barrel of Amoureuses. Potential alcohols ~12%, boosted 0.5-1%. Used 40-100% whole clusters. Meadows: “the Roumier 2024s are among the very best wines of the vintage.”
The 2023 Musigny received 97 points — Meadows was “quite simply knocked-out by how good this is” and called it “absolutely a leading candidate for wine of the vintage.” The 2023 Amoureuses at 95 is “flat out stunning and almost unbelievably classy, indeed this is breathtakingly good.”
2024 Scores (barrel):
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Amoureuses”: (95-98) — only 1 barrel made; “exceptionally classy effort is potentially brilliant”; minerality “does not quit”
- Bonnes Mares: (94-97) — “awfully good”; rich, muscular, super length
- Ruchottes-Chambertin: (93-95) — “very classy”; overtly stony finale
- Echézeaux: (92-94) — firm, balanced, needs mid-term keeping
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Cras”: (91-94) — “almost painfully intense”; built to age
- Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Mazoyères”: (91-94) — vines planted 1935
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Combottes”: (91-93) — “beguiling sense of underlying tension”
- Morey St. Denis “Clos de la Bussière”: (90-93) — monopole; “at least some patience will be necessary”
- Chambolle-Musigny: (89-91) — includes premier cru juice from Fuées; “Lovely and very Chambollesque”
2023 Scores (bottle):
- Musigny: 97 — “leading candidate for wine of the vintage”; “not the best Musigny that Roumier has ever crafted but to even be in the discussion is already a huge compliment”
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Amoureuses”: 95 — “flat out stunning”; “breathtakingly good”; super-intense, mineral-driven
- Bonnes Mares: 95 — “big but harmonious”; rich to the point of opulence
- Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Mazoyères”: 93 — firm, built-to-age
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Cras”: 92 — more volume and minerality; touch of warmth
- Ruchottes-Chambertin: 92 — “An odd showing and I’m not entirely certain how it will age”; mildly warm
- Chambolle-Musigny “Les Combottes”: 91 — “lovely”; caressing mouthfeel
- Morey St. Denis “Clos de la Bussière”: 91 — lavishly rich; touch of warmth
- Chambolle-Musigny: 89 — compact, needs patience
Note: Gilman (VFTC #114) reported a worrying 2001 Bonnes-Mares showing “hints of oxidation.” Meadows’ 2023 and 2024 Bonnes-Mares both scored exceptionally (95 and 94-97 respectively), suggesting the estate’s recent wines are in excellent form. Gilman expressed uncertainty about whether the 2001 was an isolated bottle.
My Tastings
(none yet)
Sources
sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Nov-Dec 2024 #114.txt(pages 28, 31–32)sources/articles/Burghound/Burghound Issue 101 - 2024 and 2023 Cote de Nuits Reds.txt