The 2018's are coming, and it's shaping up to be a blockbuster. Marc Roy is one of our and your favorite little domains in Gevrey Chambertin, and I think many of you have been really pleased to have found this Domaine, judging by how the wines sell out on our offering every year.
Domaine Marc Roy is a small estate (4 hectares in total!!), based in Gevrey-Chambertin. This small, organic domaine has been around for four generations and is run by Alexandrine Roy, a talented young woman who handles everything at the domaine by herself, from destemming the grapes to punchdowns by foot. Her light hand in the cellar produces wines of power, finesse, and elegance, backed by that strength, dark fruit and structure of the great pinots of Gevrey-Chambertin. Her wines may as well be of premier cru status, as they sit just next to these crus and rival many of them in quality. Domaine Marc Roy has been called one of the best small estates in Gevrey-Chambertin, and the wines come and go quickly every vintage. They are great wines to cellar, at the fraction of the price of many of their counterparts of equal quality.
Some notes from Burghound on Alexandrine's 2018 vintage:
"Alexandrine Roy explained that in 2018 "having vineyards blessed with a high proportion of old vines was a huge advantage for several different reasons. The first is that they rarely ever have too much fruit and that was an issue in 2018 as the fruit set was enormous. The second, and perhaps even more important, is that with their well-developed root systems they infrequently have problems with hydric stress and that was another major problem for many during the very hot and dry summer. When vines suffer hydric stress they typically shut down and stop photosynthesizing, which of course has major implications for maturities and in particular phenolic ripeness levels. I chose to begin picking on the 31st of August as the fruit was ripe and I didn't see that there was anything further to be gained by waiting. There was virtually no sorting necessary as my fruit wasn't sunburned. Yields were unusually good at between 48 to 49 hl/ha with potential alcohols of between 12.8 and 13%, which is perfect for the style of wine I want to make. I did an ultra-soft vinification during fermentation period of 15 to 18 days. I like the wines quite a bit as they're ripe but have no roasted or port-like qualities." As I have consistently commented, Roy just doesn't seem to miss as she's a perfectionist and 2018 will not disappoint her legion of fans.Roy noted that her 2018s were bottled in August 2019. For those readers who are not familiar with the Roy wines, the style is a mix of old style classicism coupled with moderate new oak treatment that doesn't upset the balance or transparency."
Please note that quantities are very limited on Alexandrine's wines. This year I am excited to offer her Marsannay--a 100% Chardonnay from the small northern Village in the Cotes de Nuits that never goes through malolactic fermentation, so it retains wonderful acidity and always a nice array of exotic fruits like lychee, pear, and citrus. I LOVE this wine, and it's always the first of her wines to sell out, believe it or not!
To order, check out online here. Wines arrive on Wednesday. For any questions, just respond to this email or give the shop a call, we are always here.
1) Domaine Marc Roy "Les Champs Perdix" Marsannay Blanc 2018 750mlSale Price $49.99! Buy NowSave 5% more on 6 bottles, and 10% on 12 bottles
Again this year I am excited to offer her Marsannay--a 100% Chardonnay from the small northern Village in the Cotes de Nuits that never goes through malolactic fermentation, so it retains wonderful acidity and always a nice array of exotic fruits like lychee, pear, and citrus with just hint of French oak. I LOVE this wine, and it's always the first of her wines to sell out, believe it or not!
Burghound on 2017 Vintage: "An expressive and ultra-fresh nose is comprised by notes of apple, pear and citrus. There is fine volume to the fleshy and caressing middle weight flavors that are nicely complex and persistent. This generously proportioned effort is already drinking well though is a wine that should hold for a few years."
2) Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey Chambertin Vieille Vignes 2018 750mlSale Price $82.99/btl! Buy NowSave 5% more on 6 bottles, and 10% on 12 bottles
"The grapes for the Vieilles Vignes bottling come from a total of 10 separate lieu-dit, or named parcels, including La Justice, Les Crais, Murot, Seuvrée, Jouise, Vignes Belles and Carougeot scattered throughout the south side of the village, each with each contributing something unique within the final blend. The crop is 100% destemmed and slightly crushed before to be transferred into stainless steel tank. The punching of the cap is done twice a day BY FOOT. The wine is then aged in French oak barrel (70% new) for 12 months. Alexandrine’s ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is made from a selection of the oldest vines of the estate (about 70 years old)."
"Outstanding Top Value", Burghound: "Ripe but fresh aromas include those of plum, black cherry, cassis and plenty of earth influence. The opulent, concentrated and powerful larger-scaled flavors coat the palate with sappy dry extract that also buffers the moderately firm tannic spine shaping the balanced, long and complex finale. This is a very good Gevrey villages and worth your interest. Drink 2025+"
3) Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey Chambertin "Clos Pieur" 2018 750mlSale Price $89.99/btl! Buy NowSave 5% more on 6 bottles, and 10% on 12 bottles
"The grapes for this bottling come exclusively from the Clos Prieur parcel adjacent to the premier cru of the same name and just below Mazis-Chambertin grand cru. From this sector of Gevrey, come wines delicate and accessible and among the most feminine of the commune."
"Outstanding Top Value", Burghound: "Here the nose isn't quite as elegant but it's more complex with its relatively cool and restrained nose that blends both red and dark currant, earth and a whiff of the sauvage. There is very good volume to the intense and equally complex medium-bodied flavors that display focused power on the impressively long and well-balanced finale. This is a first-rate Gevrey villages and easily achieves premier cru quality. Drink 2025+"
4) Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey Chambertin "La Justice" 2018 750mlSale Price $89.99/btl! Buy NowSave 5% more on 6 bottles, and 10% on 12 bottles
"La Justice" is a single parcel of vines from a site that sits on a layer of limestone, is 100% destemmed, and considered to be one of the top Lieu-dit sites in Gevrey. "The crop is 100% destemmed and slightly crushed before to be transferred into stainless steel tank. The punching of the cap is done twice a day BY FOOT. The wine is then aged in French oak barrel (70% new) for 12 months. Lying east of the town, this site, like Clos Prieur, is among the best lieu-dit in in Gevrey-Chambertin, due to a fault line that allows a layer of limestone to come into play."
"Outstanding Top Value", Burghound: "A slightly fresher and higher-toned nose speaks of red currant, raspberry, violet and soft wisps of spice and earth. The sleek, vibrant and seductively delicious middle weight flavors possess better precision if not quite the same density and power, all wrapped in a balanced and lingering finish. This too is a quality Gevrey villages built around finesse. Drink 2025+"5) Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey Chambertin "Cuvee Alexandrine" 2018 750mlSale Price $124.99/btl! Buy NowSave 5% more on 6 bottles, and 10% on 12 bottles
From the estates oldest vines reaching over 100 yeasr old. The crop is 100% destemmed and slightly crushed before to be transferred into stainless steel tank. The punching of the cap is done twice a day BY FOOT. The wine is then aged in French oak barrel (50% new) for 12 months. Made 100% from tiny “millerandage” grapes, or shot berries which give much higher solid to liquid ratios. This wine is only made in the best vintages.
"Outstanding Top Value", Burghound: "This is reserved to the point of being almost mute and the nose requires aggressive swirling to reveal the liqueur-like aromas of plum, spice, newly turned earth and a hint of wood. There is outstanding intensity and mid-palate density to the succulent medium weight plus flavors that culminate in a youthfully austere finish that is at once quite firm yet racy. While the prior wines should drink reasonably well after only a few years of cellaring, this beauty will require a bit more patience. Highly recommended. Drink 2028+"
To order, check out online here. Wines arrive on Wednesday. For any questions, just respond to this email or give the shop a call, we are always here. |
|
|
|
