Domaine Taupenot-Merme

Overview

Family domaine in Morey-St-Denis with holdings across the Côte de Nuits including Charmes-Chambertin, Mazoyères-Chambertin, Ruchottes-Chambertin, and Clos de la Roche. Romain Taupenot runs the estate.

Appellations

Key Wines

  • Gevrey-Chambertin “Ruchottes-Chambertin” (grand cru)
  • Gevrey-Chambertin “Charmes-Chambertin” (grand cru)
  • Gevrey-Chambertin “Mazoyères-Chambertin” (grand cru)
  • Morey-St-Denis “Clos de la Roche” (grand cru)
  • Various Morey and Gevrey premier crus

Style Notes

Romain Taupenot runs this family domaine across a remarkably broad grand cru range for a single estate. The style is modern but not overextracted, with attention to elegance and terroir expression across a diverse set of vineyard holdings.

2023 Vintage Notes (VFTC #115)

Visited January 13, 2025. Romain Taupenot made an “outstanding lineup.” Harvest September 11–25th. Alcohol 12.5–13.6%. Very red fruity year — Romain credits meticulous sorting to remove sunburnt grapes. Everything racked and assembled in tank; bottling in early March. Village wines “scream out the underlying soil signatures of their home communes” — Auxey, Chambolle, Morey, and Gevrey all completely distinctive.

2023 Scores:

  • Clos des Lambrays: 95 pts (2040–2100) — “stunning young wine”; sappy black fruit; closes with lovely salinity
  • Charmes-Chambertin: 94+ pts (2040–2100) — red fruity; “great juice”
  • Mazoyeres-Chambertin: 94+ pts (2040–2100) — “beautifully complex right out of the blocks”
  • Corton “Rognet”: 94 pts (2040–2100) — usually black fruity but all red fruit in 2023; proper young Corton
  • Chambolle “la Combe d’Orveau”: 93 pts (2035–2085) — really refined
  • Morey “la Riotte”: 93 pts (2035–2085) — beautifully reflective of terroir
  • Gevrey “Bel Air”: 93+ pts (2036–2085) — sappy red fruit; impressive backend lift
  • Nuits “les Pruliers”: 93+ pts (2038–2085) — most reserved of the premier crus
  • Auxey-Duresses “Premier Cru”: 92 pts (2031–2065) — impressive sappy fruit
  • Saint-Romain Blanc: 90 pts (2025–2040)
  • Auxey-Duresses Blanc: 91 pts (2025–2045)

2024 Vintage Notes (Burghound #101, barrel)

Romain Taupenot described 2024 as “a nightmare, with no exaggeration.” 16 mildew treatments across 19 ha from Gevrey to Auxey-Duresses. Picked September 20. Potential alcohols 12-12.5%. Used zero new wood. No Clos des Lambrays, Mazoyères, Corton, or Nuits premier crus in 2024.

2024 Scores (barrel/bottled):

  • Charmes-Chambertin: (92-94)
  • Morey “La Riotte” 1er: (90-93)
  • Gevrey “Bel-Air” 1er: (90-92)
  • Chambolle-Musigny: (89-91)
  • Gevrey-Chambertin: (89-91)
  • Morey St. Denis: (89-92)
  • Auxey-Duresses “1er”: 90
  • Auxey-Duresses: 88
  • St. Romain: 88

My Tastings

(none yet)

Sources

  • sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2025 #115.txt
  • sources/articles/Burghound/Burghound Issue 101 - 2024 and 2023 Cote de Nuits Reds.txt
  • sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2026 #121.pdf