2014 Marsannay Boivin

According to Pierre-Jean Roty, the family’s 2014s gained in sucrosité during élevage “It’s a very pure, classic Pinot vintage with good ripeness and real freshness and refinement,” he said in November, adding that the wines should be able to age for a long time The Rotys made a normal crop in 2014, the largest since 2009 Pierre-Jean continues to destem all of his fruit, as has long been the philosophy here “Stems can bright herbaceous tastes bitterness; I learned this at wine school,” he told me “It’s not our style—not what we’re looking for” Roty bottled his 2014 reds at the end of March of 2016

According to Pierre-Jean Roty, the family’s 2014s gained in sucrosité during élevage. “It’s a very pure, classic Pinot vintage with good ripeness and real freshness and refinement,” he said in November, adding that the wines should be able to age for a long time. The Rotys made a normal crop in 2014, the largest since 2009. Pierre-Jean continues to destem all of his fruit, as has long been the philosophy here. “Stems can bright herbaceous tastes . . . bitterness; I learned this at wine school,” he told me. “It’s not our style—not what we’re looking for.” Roty bottled his 2014 reds at the end of March of 2016.

My annual tasting in the Rotys’ garage was a somber affair, as it came shortly after Philippe Roty lost an extended, valiant battle with cancer at the age of 46. Philippe’s younger brother Pierre-Jean, who had done the bulk of the cellar work in recent years, is now officially in charge, aided by his sister Patricia and mother Françoise. Beginning with 2014, there will be no more wines bottled under the Philippe Roty label; these vineyards will now be bottled under the Joseph Roty label, partly through a fermage arrangement.

The Rotys started their 2014 harvest on September 17, with what Pierre-Jean described as “good maturity between 12% and 12. 5%. We had a great flowering in 2014 and the soil stayed active due to the rains during the summer. Heat in September brought late ripeness, and also tougher skins that resisted the flies and rot. ” Thanks to a full crop level in Marsannay, the average yield here was 47 hectoliters per hectare, but production was more like 30 to 35 for the estate’s grand crus and smaller lieux-dits. Pierre-Jean likes the 2014s for their purity and elegance; he believes the wines will drink early but also age well. He ages his Marsannay village wines in 30% to 40% new oak, the lieux-dits in 50% or more, and the grand crus in 100% new barrels.