2013 at Domaine Sylvain Cathiard et Fils

I’ve just returned to the office from 3 weeks in Vosne Romanée chez Sylvain Cathiard et Fils, working with Sébastien Cathiard on the 2013 harvest. 

2013 won’t go down as an easy vintage for the vignerons of the Cote D’Or: there was massive hail damage just south of Beaune, and significant rot pressure across the region as the weather turned just before picking. With extremely carefully sorting in the vineyard and cuverie, however, the fruit that was brought in at Cathiard was good quality, if somewhat depleted (down significantly on even 2012). People will no doubt talk about 2013 as being a high acid vintage, and that indeed it is. But in a crucial way it differs from the other recent vintage of that description – 2008 – with which it will be compared. Whereas in 2008 the pHs were extremely low (between 3.05-3.15), in 2013, the pHs have come in at an extremely balanced level (between 3.15-3.31) with relatively high total acidity (5.5+). This is a promising start for the young vintage. 

Unfortunately I had to leave just as the fermentations were starting to get into full swing, having done rémontage once and then twice daily with Sébastien during the 7-10 day cold maceration. Colour extraction was very good in the early stages, and all the cuves looked and smelled great. I've been reliably informed all fermentations are now well under way and pigéage has begun in earnest.

All in all, it was a complete pleasure to work at the domaine. It is the cleanest, most precise, most attention-detailed, most carefully handled work I’ve ever experienced. Although my 6^th harvest working in a cuverie I’m mindful of how much more there is to learn. I look forward to number 7 next year (and can't wait to taste '13 in barrel)

Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Malconsorts just before harvest

Sorting table action

Sébastien stumping us with blind tastings

Rémontage during cold maceration

Séb with his RSV Grand Cru barrels

Quite some lunch at Ma Cuisine in Beaune...

By Catherine Petrie

Buisson Battault 2010 Meursault 1ers Crus

Two of Buisson Battault's 2010 Meursulat 1ers Crus have received high praise in Decanter's latest round up:

Meursault 1er Cru Charmes and Meursualt 1er Cru Goutte D'Or

The Charmes is 'Quite heady, almost exotic yellow summer fruits on the nose with apple, peach and almonds. Lush and ripe, with a strong, lemony core of acidity. This has the heft of Charmes but not at the expense of minerality and vigour'.


And the Goutte D'Or has a 'Ripe, floral nose with a rich, nutty, almost earthy fruit aspect. Vibrant fruit palate with natural vigour from the vineyard. Has lots of weight and concentration, but there’s good underlying acidity to give structure and persistence. Tangy, long succulent finish'

Visit our website for further details 

Burgundy Dinner at Vinoteca Farringdon

Charlie Young hosted a Burgundy Dinner last night at Vinoteca in Farringdon with Robert. Check out the tasting menu:

Sounds pretty good to me! With the exception of the talented Mark Haisma's Gevrey 2010, all the wines listed are sourced direct by RR&Co, and currently all can be enjoyed at any of the Vinoteca sites. In fact, the Chassagne Rouge 2011 from Niellon is currently on by the glass at Vinoteca Marylebone. Get down there this weekend and try some for yourself...

New Beaujolais Producers

Robert's recent road trip in search of Beaujolais producers for the RR&Co portfolio came up trumps. After showing 5 different growers to a selection of top tasters from the trade we have begun to ship from 3 new growers: Jean-Paul Brun, Laurent Martray and Julien Duport. Visit our website for more details.

Here's what Robert had to say on the Crus of Beaujolais: The ten Crus are the jewels in Beaujolais’s crown. They all come from the north of the appellation where the Gamay grape forges a perfect partnership with the sand and granite soil which feeds and ripens it.  Further south the soil is clay and too cool to bring any special benefit to the grape. Good Beaujolais is truly distinctive, combining a fresh and floral bouquet with a natural opulence on the palate full of supple, fleshy fruit, underpinned by some evident minerality. They can be enjoyed young but the best of the Crus have the structure to age for 7 – 10 years.  We are concentrating on 2011, the last in a trilogy of outstanding Beaujolais vintages, and in particular Brouilly & Côte de Brouilly, which we are asked for most regularly.

Other recent editions to the portfolio include a Quincy and the highly respected Pernand Vergelesses domaine, Dubreuil Fontaine.

Zinck, Pfersigberg Grand Cru Riesling 2010

This wines gets a tidy little review from Stephen Brook in Decanter

"Zesty pear aromas. The palate is juicy and concentrated with great tension and a long, bracing finish." (17/20pts (90/100pts)

Renard Barnier gets a great big thumbs up in the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine

The Renard Barnier Cuvee Speciale NV Champagne has been given a great little review in the Daily Mail. Read it here:

http://www.matthewjukes.com/2013/05/5-more-stunning-wines-all-bargain-priced-including-a-stunning-champagne/

Large Format Provence Rosé 2012

Anybody interested in ordering large format bottles of the St André de Figuière Rosés as endorsed by Matthew Jukes, get in touch asap! Prices as follows:
Le Saint André 2012 Magnum                       £22.95
Cuvée Magali 2012 Magnum                         £26.50
Cuvée Magali 2012 Double Magnum             £64.00
Première de Figuière VV Magnum                 £33.95

There is a £10 delivery charge for orders under £300. Price include VAT and duty

Matthew Jukes reviews the St André de Figuière Rosés

Matthew Jukes wasn't half impressed with the Provençal rosés from Domaine St André de Figuière. Get ready for spring with these three beauties:

From Matthew's MoneyWeek article on 22nd March 2013:

"2012 Le Saint André Rosé, Vin de Pays du Var, France (£9.75 bottle; £22.95 magnum, Robert Rolls tel. 020 3215 0011). I apologise that this week’s column reads a little like a shopping list, but I have had an epiphany recently and so you must use this information wisely and accurately.  I tasted three brand new 2012 rosés the other day, from the Figuière estate in Provence and they are all sold by the enigmatic and highly talented Robert Rolls.  I can guarantee that you will solve all of your rosé purchases for the year in one fell swoop (assuming that you load up with a few boxes of Château de Sours from Bordeaux, too, because it’s a cracker)!  So here we go – Glugger, my featured Le Saint André Rosé, check out the magnums!  This is a heavenly creation, classily packaged, pale, enticing and beautifully balanced with a come-hither, wild strawberry scent.  Dinner Party, 2012 Magali, Signature Rosé (£12.45 bottle; £26.50 magnum; £64.00 double magnum!) is a more structured and tightly wound creation with devastating acidity and epic class.  No Upper Limit, 2012 Première de Figuière, Vieilles Vignes Rosé (£15.99 bottle; £33.95 magnum) is simply sublime with the Mourvèdre grape leading the way, as one would expect, and loading everything that is glorious and breathtaking about awesome quality Provence Rosé into one glass."

Pousse Rapière

Last week I had a flurry of enquiries about Pousse Rapière. It's an Armagnac based liqueur from Château Monluc in South West France, traditionally drunk in a cocktail with the local sparkling wine. It's totally delicious, and for anyone who has ever holidayed in the Gers it will no doubt recall warm summer evenings surrounded by sunflowers. RR & Co is the only supplier in London, so do get in touch if you'd like to try any (£15/bottle ex VAT).

Restaurant Magazine review

In this month's Restaurant Magazine, Fiona Beckett picks out 2 of our wines for her feature on finding great value in French wine. This first is St André de Figuière ‘Cuvée Valérie’ 2011, AOC Provence; and the second Joseph Roty's Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire 2008.



The Kitchen Supper List

In response to popular demand I’ve put together a short list of RR & Co’s most food- (and wallet-) friendly wines for home delivery. Most wines are between £10 and £20 including duty and VAT, and there is free delivery on orders over £300. Get in touch if you'd like to receive the list: catherine@rollswine.com

Fiona Beckett on Domaine Hubert Lignier

Fiona Beckett has written about our food-centred approach to tasting Burgundy, in her article How Food Can Make Your Wine Shine.

Boring Bulletin: Technical Upgrade

We are having a technical upgrade over the weekend. We apologize if anyone has trouble getting emails through from Friday afternoon 8th January 2013 until Monday 11th January. Answerphone messages can be left over the weekend on 0203 2150011 if emails are bouncing back.

Burgfest 2013

This year's annual RR Burgundy tasting at the St John Restaurant:



first arrivals dive in to the whites





a formidable line up of Cathiard, Lignier, Roty





Laura from Vivat Bacchus and Willoughby from Vinoteca




the white table




the red table





Bazdad and Chas from Four Walls Wine with Catherine




the well deserved lunch



Collecting the samples

A flying visit to Burgundy at the beginning of the week to pick up samples for this year's annual Burgundy tasting:

RR with Philippe Roty

with Alain Jeanniard



with Sébastien Cathiard, tasting his 2012's



Burgundy 2011: Domaines Hubert Lignier and Sylvain Cathiard

Whilst many of the London merchants held tastings and released prices for the 2011 Burgundy vintage last week, RR&Co are holding off until the end of next to release prices (please email catherine@rollswine.com if you would like to receive the offer).

Instead, last week, we held a series of small dinners and lunches with some visiting vigneron: Laurent Lignier and Sébastien Cathiard. Both are sons of pioneering fathers in the world of Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir (Hubert Lignier and Sylvain Cathiard), and last week gave us a chance to taste through this new generation's wines, as well as looking back to the older wines of their fathers.

Fiona Beckett joined us for lunch at The Quality Chop House, where Laurent's 2007s stood out, being much more approachable now than the 08s or 09s. Follow the link here to see what Fiona thought of the Charmes Chambertin 2007 with Tunworth cheese.

The weight on Sébastien's shoulders to continue the domaine his father raised to such heights must have felt enormous. The 2011s (his first vintage in charge at the domaine) show extreme finesse and skill, and a promise of great things to come. With the growing hype surrounding Burgundy, if might feel like these wines are becoming out of reach. For anyone interested in tasting this great, and scarce, domaine I would point you in the direction of restaurant lists such as Roka, Charlotte Street. I can vouche that the Cathiard wines go brilliantly with the Japanese cuisine (especially the black cod). Other restaurant list appearances include Hereford Road, La Petite Maison, and Zuma.