Wines

There is no better version of this modest white Burgundy than the one produced by Rollin.  From very old vines (50 years plus) in a parcel of 1.7 hectares on the border of Pernand and the neighboring village of Echevronne, it carries the lively acidity that is part of the character of the grape but also the personality of the wines of Pernand.  The age of the vines imparts density and body that shows this grape at its very best.  We purchase fifty cases annually for the US market.

From a small parcel of Chardonnay planted in the western reaches of Pernand on into Echevronne, the Rollins produce a white of lively acidity but with a certain heft that comes from the strictly limited production levels required to achieve maximum maturity from grapes planted on these slopes that see less late afternoon sun.

A consistently formidable wine that is sourced from four separate vineyard sites within the boundaries of Pernand.  The average age of the vines is approximately 40 years.  A classic representation of the “taste” of Pernand with its intense minerality, hints of fennel and honey and broad-shouldered appearance.  Aged on its lees for twelve months and bottled without filtration, it is particularly ageworthy.  We buy five barrels per year (1,500 bottles) for the US market.

“Les Cloux” is a well-situated lieu-dit on the north side of the hill of Corton, adjacent to the premier cru “Sous Frétille”. It lies on a high-altitude, steep part of a hill, but a general lack of direct breezes there ensures its ripeness. The wine shows a lower-pitched, deeper nose than Rollin’s basic Pernand-Vergelesses, but with equivalent limestone intensity—more solid in its character than powdered. It is richer and thicker in the mouth as well, but the balletic acidity holds it together perfectly.

This vineyard is a relatively recent acquisition by the Rollin family (the 2000 vintage was the first to issue from the domaine) but it is a parcel of old vines in one of the elite lieu-dits of the village. The vineyard is situated on slopes overlooking the village and is just around the corner from Corton Charlemagne.  A powerful wine that benefits from several years of bottle age … only 35 cases per annum are allocated to us for the USA.

The Rollin family for many years has exploited two separate parcels totaling about one-half hectare within the appellation of Corton Charlemagne.  One parcel is on the Aloxe-Corton side within “Le Charlemagne” and the other piece is on the Pernand side of the hill known as “En Charlemagne”.  The grapes from each parcel are harvested and vinified separately and are then assembled prior to bottling (after more or less fifteen months of élevage).  From our personal perspective, the Corton Charlemagne from Rollin is one of the finest white wines in our portfolio, a true Grand Cru.  We purchase two barrels a year … and a small amount of magnums are drawn for us annually.

The vineyards for this spicy and aromatic red are situated in Pernand Vergelesses and Echevronne (about 2 hectares or so).  An energetic wine that captures the essence of the Cote de Beaune with its red cherry flavors and ebullient floral bouquet.  Aged in small barrel (no new oak) but bottled a few months earlier than the other more substantial reds of the domaine to emphasize its fruitiness.  An important member of our Burgundy portfolio, we purchase approximately 3,600 bottles per annum.

A classic rendering of a truly underappreciated red Burgundy appellation, Rollin’s Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge comes primarily from two old-vines parcels: one in the lieu-dit of Les Pins in the northern part of the village, and the other in Les Noirets on the southern side, both of which face eastward. Compared to their better-known brethren in Savigny-les-Beaune, the red wines of Pernand-Vergelesses tend to be more firmly mineral, more savory, and more finely wrought.

Not a typical Savigny-lès-Beaune, this vineyard actually lies closer to the Pernand-Vergelesses premier cru Les Fichots than it does to the main swath of Savigny proper. As such, it displays a savory limestone edge more in line with Rollin’s trio of Pernand premier crus than to more classically plump and fruit-driven examples of Savigny. With notable depth from its old vines—up to 70 years of age—it presents a firm, juicy aspect, with an attractive mentholated accent to its gleamingly pure cherry fruit. Only 20% new oak is employed. This small parcel permits us the privilege of purchasing slightly more than a single barrel per year (300 bottles plus some magnums).

Aloxe-Corton is the warrior to Pernand’s diplomat, the weightlifter to the runner. Always a bit more gritty, structured, and viscerally earthy than its neighbor, Aloxe-Corton can also take longer to come around in bottle. The payoff is a wine of great substance and depth that tends to offer amazing value due to its relatively under-the-radar reputation. Rollin’s exceptional rendering of this appellation is definitely of a piece with their overall lineup in its precision and its mineral drive, but it shows the scrappier, more animale character of its birthplace. A rugged, serious wine.

The first of a trio of Premiers Crus from Pernand that are produced by the Rollins, the “Les Vergelesses” is the most tender and feminine of the group.  The vineyard sits on a gentle slope in the southern sector of the village and just beneath the “Ile des Vergelesses” facing south-southeast.  It is a wine of silky tannins and forward fruit.  Production of this elegant wine is very limited at the domaine providing us with a mere one barrel (300 bottles) per year.

Situated immediately north of “Les Vergelesses” and beneath “Île des Vergelesses”, “Les Fichots” is a clay-and-iron-dominated site whose wines possess a far more structured, brooding personality than those of its immediate neighbors. The family’s exceptionally old plot—over 70 years of age—renders a wine of impressive concentration and power. Despite its deeper color, firmer tannins, and greater sense of solidity, it nonetheless displays spice-laden red fruits that are very Pernand, as well as an outstanding balancing acidity. We purchase two barrels annually (600 bottles).

This vineyard is recognized by everyone as the prime site within the Pernand appellation.  It sits at almost 300 meters altitude on a gradually sloping hill that faces southeast.  The wines of the “Ile des Vergelesses” are consistently the most complex and satisfying reds of the appellation and present remarkable value.  We always bottle this wine in magnums out of respect for its high quality and its ability to age gracefully.  We are fortunate to have access to two barrels (600 bottles) each year.