2000 Marsannay Les Ouzeloy

Philippe Roty describes 2001 as a vintage with good acidity and good ripeness, although he pointed out that vintages 1999, 2000 and 2001 provided raw materials with roughly equivalent maturity. The estate did a somewhat longer than usual cold maceration for its 2001s, stalling the onset of the fermentation by keeping the must under a layer of gas at 10oC. Although the domain continues to use barrels from five tonneliers Philippe told me that he has a fondness for Vosges barrels crafted by Damy, pointing out that these are relatively little used by neighboring estates. Roty pere et fils are now renting a lot of Marsannay vines and are increasing the number of micro-cuvees from this appellation. The best of them offer excellent value in red Burgundy.

Philippe Roty, increasingly taking over responsibility for the family domain, has made a number of modifications here in recent years. Beginning in 1999, he has carried out a green harvest in those vines that would otherwise produce full crop loads. In August of 2001, he pulled leaves on the north side of all of the domain vines in order to aerate the fruit. And beginning in 2000, he has used barrels from five sources (previously the Roty wines were aged entirely in barrels made by Rousseau in nearby Brochon). Roty told me that the 2000s generally have slightly higher acidity and slightly less ripe tannins than the '99s, but that a more substantial green harvest enabled the family to produce a number of wines that are every bit as concentrated as the '99s. The '99s, which showed very well from barrel a year ago, have turned out to be delicious wines, although the cru bottlings will require patience.