Domaine
Georges Roumier Part 2: Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN |&nbsp;NOVEMBER 10, 2022The
second part of my examination of Roumier centres on a vertical tasting originally
due to start with Christophe Roumier’s maiden 1993. The bottles were, instead, accidentally
consumed and enjoyed by thirsty “bystanders”. I cherish the thought that the
wines fulfilled their raison d’être of being appreciated, liberated from analytical
examination and pontification that is part and parcel of drinking Burgundy
these days. The whole debacle put a smile on my face. Consequently, the purview
was a complete run of Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras from 1999 to 2011, with three
interpolated Les Cras from Domaine Ghislaine-Barthod to keep this taster on his
toes.

A brief
word about Roumier’s holdings in Les Cras. Roumier owns 1.76-hectares of vines
divided into two plots, the larger at the northern extremity bordering Les
Fuées and a smaller plot towards the southeast. The soil is heavy marl. The
vines were planted in 1961, so you could argue that they are at the “peak of
their powers,” not too old but with experience under their belt. In terms of
winemaking, it’s pretty straightforward. Roumier sorts fruit in the vineyard
and uses a sorting table installed at the winery reception. Depending on the
vintage, he usually adds a small number of stems before fermentation in wooden
vessels after a cool soak. As with all his cuvées, Roumier is prudent with the
use of new oak. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1668091070209-chambolle+les+cras+line+up1_copy.jpg">I admire
this Premier Cru, up there with Les Fuées and Charmes. I guess the problem is being
part of an “elite squad” fighting for attention against the esteemed likes of Bonnes-Mares,
Les Amoureuses and Combottes. I have rated Les Cras highly, probably more than
Roumier’s Clos de la Bussière, his monopole over the border in
Morey-Saint-Denis. 

These
wines were tasted blind, which made it a far more interesting investigation. I
felt that Les Cras is a “steady” rather than “stellar” performer, as if it
knows its position within Roumier’s hierarchy. The exceptions were the intense
1999, ethereal 2002 and the sensual 2009 that all transcend the wine’s limitations,
given a boost by benevolent seasons. Les Cras is not what I would call a
“spectacular” Chambolle-Musigny, for it rarely achieves profound complexity and
substance, the panache you find in, say, Roumier’s Les Amoureuses. The one duff
vintage is 2004, which, I dare say, should have been blended into the
Chambolle-Village. It is riddled with the so-called “green meanies,” just as I
found when I first tasted it after bottling when my rather disparaging note
elicited a typically polite reply from the winemaker – my first exchange with
Roumier. It stuck out like a sore thumb in this line-up. It’s a sign of the
times - despite its doubtful quality, such is demand, you’ll get little change from
£1,000 per bottle on the secondary market. Whether that is a result of ladybugs
or not, this vegetal character is endemic across the Côte d’Or. Though there
are exceptions, it seems to affect even the most gifted winemakers. 

This insightful
tasting proved that Roumier can reach stellar heights and that he also
translates the growing season for better or worse. To that extent, it was
pretty easy to guess the vintages, which is a positive trait in my book,
Roumier is never one to manipulate a wine into something it was not meant to
be. Indeed, I would advise affording Les Cras several years in bottle and then
drinking up to 25 years for the best vintages.© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<div><hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/domaine-georges-roumier-part-1-1988s-examined-nov-2022">Domaine Georges Roumier Part 1: 1988s Examined</a>, Neal Martin, November 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/cellar-favorite-2017-domaine-roumier-morey-saint-denis-clos-de-la-bussiere-chambolle-musigny-les-cras-feb-2021">2017 Domaine Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière &amp; Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras</a>, Neal Martin, February 2021 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/drink-your-idols-roumier-s-musigny-1976-2008-aug-2019">Drink Your Idols: Roumier’s Musigny 1976-2008</a>, Neal Martin, August 2019 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/priceless-roumier-s-bonnes-mares-1945-2015-sep-2018">Priceless: Roumier Bonnes-Mares 1945 - 2015</a>, Neal Martin, September 2018</div>

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