Domaine Roulot

The Roulot name in Meursault goes back at least five generations. Guy Roulot, father of Jean-Marc Roulot and husband of Geneviève, granddaughter of Léon Coche, built the domaine's modern reputation before his death in 1982. The domaine's Meursault-Charmes 1973 was one of ten wines in the blind white-wine flight organized in Paris on May 24, 1976 by Steven Spurrier of L'Académie du Vin, the event later known as the Judgment of Paris. Nine tasters scored the wines on a 20-point scale, and the Meursault-Charmes finished second with an average of 14.05, behind only Chateau Montelena 1973 (14.67) and ahead of Chalone Vineyard 1974 (13.44), Spring Mountain Vineyard 1973, Beaune Clos des Mouches (Joseph Drouhin) 1973, Freemark Abbey 1972, Bâtard-Montrachet Les Pucelles (Domaine Leflaive) 1972, Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1972, Veedercrest Vineyards 1972 and David Bruce Winery 1973.

• Roulot name in Meursault traced back at least five generations; Guy Roulot built the domaine's modern reputation before his 1982 death
• Guy Roulot married Geneviève, granddaughter of Léon Coche
• Domaine's Meursault-Charmes 1973 placed second (14.05 average, 20-point scale) in the white flight of the May 24, 1976 Judgment of Paris organized by Steven Spurrier, behind only Chateau Montelena 1973 (14.67)

Guy Roulot died in 1982, before Jean-Marc, then building a career as a stage and film actor, was ready to take over. In the interim the wines were made first by Ted Lemon, known for Littorai in California and Burn Cottage in New Zealand, and then by Franck Grux, who went on to become winemaker at Olivier Leflaive Frères. Jean-Marc Roulot took charge in January 1989, choosing the vines over acting full time. His first vintages ran from the sunny 1989 and 1990 through a more challenging 1991 to 1992, a vintage he loved. There was no father-son handover: friends including Dominique Lafon and Emmanuel Giboulot helped him, and it took ten to twelve years to understand the diversity of the domaine's soils and the variability of its vintages. He has kept up some acting alongside winemaking, including the two-man play Les Luchets and a small role but strong influence in the film Ce qui nous lie, titled Back to Burgundy in English.

• Ted Lemon (known for Littorai, California, and Burn Cottage, New Zealand), then Franck Grux (later winemaker at Olivier Leflaive Frères), made the wines between Guy Roulot's 1982 death and Jean-Marc's arrival
• Jean-Marc Roulot took over in January 1989; understanding the estate's soils and vintage variability took ten to twelve years
• Friends who helped in the early years included Dominique Lafon and Emmanuel Giboulot
• Jean-Marc has kept up some acting, including the two-man play Les Luchets and a small role in the film Ce qui nous lie (Back to Burgundy)

As of September 2022, the white-wine holdings included the Meursault Premier Crus Les Perrières (0.26 ha), Clos des Bouchères (1.38 ha, a monopole), Porusot (0.42 ha) and Les Charmes (0.28 ha), plus the Monthélie Premier Cru Champs Fulliots (0.19 ha). Village Meursault lieux-dits bottled separately included Clos du Haut Tesson (0.85 ha), Les Tillets (0.49 ha), Les Luchets (1.03 ha), Les Meix Chavaux (0.95 ha), Les Vireuils (0.67 ha) and Les Narvaux (0.50 ha), alongside a Meursault blended from four vineyards (2.25 ha) and an Auxey-Duresses white (0.48 ha). Red holdings included a Monthélie parcel (0.36 ha) and an Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru parcel (0.47 ha). The Roulots bought their Les Perrières plot in 1976; its vines date to the 1940s. From 2011, a shared acquisition of Domaine René Manuel with Domaine des Comtes Lafon brought new vineyards, notably Meursault Porusot and the Clos des Bouchères monopole, plus some village land; in dividing the Manuel vineyards, Jean-Marc ceded his previous holding in Bouchères to take over the Clos des Bouchères monopole instead. The village wine once labeled Meursault Les Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir is now Meursault, A Mon Plaisir, Clos du Haut Tesson, matching the wording on the stone arch above the vineyard.

• Meursault Premier Crus: Les Perrières (0.26 ha, purchased 1976, vines dating to the 1940s), monopole Clos des Bouchères (1.38 ha), Porusot (0.42 ha), Les Charmes (0.28 ha); plus Monthélie 1er Cru Champs Fulliots (0.19 ha)
• Village Meursault lieux-dits bottled separately: Clos du Haut Tesson (0.85 ha, formerly labeled Les Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir), Les Tillets (0.49 ha), Les Luchets (1.03 ha), Les Meix Chavaux (0.95 ha), Les Vireuils (0.67 ha), Les Narvaux (0.50 ha); plus a blended four-vineyard Meursault (2.25 ha) and Auxey-Duresses white (0.48 ha)
• Red parcels: Monthélie (0.36 ha) and Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru (0.47 ha)
• From 2011, shared acquisition of Domaine René Manuel with Domaine des Comtes Lafon: Roulot gained the Clos des Bouchères monopole (ceding its prior Bouchères holding), Meursault Porusot and some village land

Jean-Marc Roulot began intuitively removing products from the vineyard treatment schedule after taking over and realized in 2000 that the domaine was effectively organic; formal certification followed in 2013. Jasper Morris counts him among the few producers who have moved from heavier to purer wines without losing any potential quality or complexity. Jean-Marc is not afraid to pick early when the condition of the grapes calls for it, and where skins are healthy he crushes the grapes before pressing, for a greener juice obtained with less aggressive pressing and a better pH. The extended elevage for the whites, eighteen months instead of twelve (eleven in barrel and six to eight in tank), developed in the early years and began with an accident: in 1993 the Meursault Perrières had to stay in vat for an extra winter, and it tasted far above the rest of the 1993s. By 1995 Charmes, Tessons and Perrières were raised for eighteen months, all the Meursault followed in 1996, and Bourgogne blanc from 2007. New oak is held to no more than 20 percent for village wines and 25 to 30 percent for the crus. After experimenting with variable sulphur levels in 2016, the domaine returned to a more planned regime that uses much less sulphur at the outset than in the past. Since 2018 stoneware jars have taken part of the aging: the cellar works primarily with wood, with stoneware and ceramic at the start of aging and stainless steel at the end. Jean-Marc Roulot says the jars give wines less complex than barrel-aged ones but more focused and vibrant.

• Began removing vineyard inputs after taking over in 1989, organic in practice by 2000, certified organic 2013
• Extended elevage (18 months: 11 in barrel plus 6 to 8 in tank) grew from an accidental extra winter in vat for the 1993 Perrières; Charmes, Tessons and Perrières at 18 months from 1995, all Meursault from 1996, Bourgogne blanc from 2007
• New oak at most 20 percent for village wines, 25 to 30 percent for the crus; much less sulphur at the outset than in the past
• Stoneware jars used since 2018 alongside wood and stainless steel for part of the aging

Alongside the domaine wines, a small range made from purchased fruit is labeled Jean-Marc Roulot: Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Cailleret, and the grands crus Corton-Charlemagne and Chevalier-Montrachet. Jean-Marc's son is Félicien. In a 2024 interview, Jean-Marc said he finds some winemakers too impatient, citing the practice of publishing tasting notes on social media, and credited François Faiveley and Hubert de Montille, among others, with fighting to keep Burgundy's wines terroir- and estate-driven rather than bowing to trends.

• Négoce range under the Jean-Marc Roulot label, from purchased fruit: Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Cailleret, Corton-Charlemagne, Chevalier-Montrachet
• Jean-Marc Roulot's son is Félicien
• Jean-Marc Roulot in a 2024 interview: some winemakers are too impatient (citing social-media tasting notes); François Faiveley and Hubert de Montille, among others, fought to keep Burgundy terroir-driven

No reachable official producer website was found for Domaine Roulot after repeated attempts (PRIMARY-UNREACHED); this article is sourced entirely to secondary references. Secondary sources: Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy, Domaine Roulot overview (insideburgundy.com, updated September 2022); Christophe Tupinier, "Jean-Marc Roulot (Meursault): Some winemakers are too impatient," Bourgogne Aujourd'hui (bourgogneaujourdhui.com, November 3, 2024); Steven Spurrier, "The Judgement of Paris, The Historic 1976 Tasting that Revolutionized Wine," Academie du Vin Library (academieduvinlibrary.com, September 4, 2020). Last verified 2026-10-12. Spot something off? Submit a correction: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdM0MsYoQFCpXb4qbSPVM2TBRuC2624pOhrffs7IGhpfGCCQA/viewform