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Wine Advocate
90+ PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Beaune From near the Epenotes cru comes a rarity in Burgundy, namely a “mere” village 2005 Beaune. A lovely deep, blackedged color reflects these old vines and their nutty, stony meaty, black-fruited flavor concentration. Blackberry, beet root, toasted walnut, and tobacco feature prominently on a silken, expansive and impressively dense palate, which this wine stains thoroughly while displaying just a bit of post-bottling tightness in its finish.
88+ PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Bourgogne l'Hertiere The 2005 Bourgogne l‘Hertiere – representing a parcel of nearly ninety year-old vines below Pommard “treated just like my premier crus” – offers impressively concentrated aromas and flavors of black fruits, bitter chocolate, savory smokiness, forest floor and roasted game. Savage in more than one sense of the word, this ample mouthful of Pinot grips intensely and with significant tannic roughness accentuated by its recent sulfuring and bottling. Rossignol is developing a selection massale from these vines for future planting.
91 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Pommard Chanlins Originating just a bit north and uphill from his Volnay Fremiets, in the chalkiest corner of Pommard, Rossignol’s 2005 Pommard Chanlins suggests salted beet root and roasted meats on the nose. Rich and dense, yet precise in flavors, with chalky, wet stone and salty accents plus abundant, fine-grained tannins, this wine finishes with persistent meat and minerals, but in a rather somber key.
89 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Savigny les Beaune Offered for the first time this vintage, from property offered up by Michel Ampeau of Meursault who since the death of his father wants to concentrate more on his whites, Rossignol’s 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune smells of lightly-cooked red raspberry, wood smoke and sea breeze. Savory, salty, meaty and brightly-fruited on the palate, this wine of but modest body displays admirable concentration and a lip-smacking, saliva-drawing finish.
90+ PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Savigny les Beaune les Forneaux Vinified with around a third whole clusters, the 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Fourneaux smells of cooked blackberry and raspberry with overtones of underbrush and smoke. Rich and substantial in the mouth, it finishes with generous fruit but firm tannins, accentuated by its recent sulfuring and bottling.
92 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay From young, clonally-diverse vines in la Bouchere – a very chalky, rocky site high above the village – Rossignol’s 2005 Volnay is loaded with deep, dark black cherry fruit, cherry pits, salty, chalky, iodine- and iron-like minerality. Incipiently velvety in the mouth, it promises to blossom with 3-5 years in the bottle, which it seems not at all disturbed by having just been put into. Here is the spirit of Volnay in a great vintage at a modest price: run, don’t walk!
94 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Cailleret From 20 and 50 year-old vines (the younger touching d’Angerville’s parcel and the older the 60 Ouvrees) Rossignol’s 2005 Volnay Caillerets largely leaves behind fruits and berries for a tour of stony terroir on the back of a wild animal. Iodine, chalk and cherry pit pungency and bitterness, invigorating saltiness, tart hints of red currant, fascinating florality, and gaminess make for a complex young Pinot, dense and full of fine tannin yet already hinting at creaminess. The length and multifarious mineral dimension harbor grand cru pretensions, and I would not hesitate to hide bottles away for 8-10 years.
92 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Chevret From a deeper site just below Caillerets and north of the Santenots du Milieu, a 2005 Volnay Chevret offers generous ripe blackberry, a simple, salty mineral expression, and a compelling richness and sheer fruit intensity. Dark forest floor notes are only hinted at, although this is almost certain to offer more complexity after allowing it 5-7 years to shut down and recover. (The 2002 Chevret is beguiling today, but Rossingol doesn’t think that’s what we’ll find in a bottle of 2005 at the same age.)
92 PTS – 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay Fremiets From a warm spot along the Pommard line, Rossignol’s 2005 Volnay Fremiets smells of ripe blackberries, sweat and game. Chunky, full (at 14% alcohol) and broad-shouldered on the palate, firmly, prominently tannic, and with persistent meaty character, it is almost the very model of Pommard rather than Volnay! The striking, palate-staining finish is of beef juices, sweat, tart blackberry and iodine.
Wine Spectator Juillet 2007
91 PTS – 2002 Volnay 1er Cru "Chevret" "A graceful red that's silky, harmonious and elegant, with a streak of cherry accented by floral and mineral flavors. A little tight now, but should open nicely in two to three years. Best from 2009 through 2020."–B.S.
91 PTS – 2002 Volnay 1er Cru "Santenots" "Fresh and pure, with a hint of cinnamon adding a grace note of spice to the cherry, licorice and mineral flavors. This is elegant and still needs a little more time to integrate the tannins. Has fine length. Best from 2008 through 2018."–B.S.
90 PTS – 2002 Volnay 1er Cru "Clos des Angles" "Round and inviting, this is supple, evoking cherry, raspberry and spice notes. It's backed by a firm structure, yet should open up relatively soon. Drink now through 2016."–Bruce.Sanderson .
93 Points -Domaine Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er cru chevret 2005 "Distinctive. A panolpy of dark fruit-blackberry, black currantalong with licorice and spice notes permeate this concentrated red. It's full of savory character with a minerally saline streak on the finish."- B.S.
Janice ROBINSON
Dom Nicolas Rossignol, Santenots Premier Cru 2006 Volnay 16.5++? Drink 2012-16 Bright crimson. A bit dull on the nose – very precise and tight on the palate. This may well come right – needs quite a bit of time and certainly isn’t playing the flattery card!
Dom Nicolas Rossignol, Chevret Premier Cru 2006 Volnay 17 Drink 2011-16 Energy and some vegetal excitement. The fruit is starting to dominate the tannins in this wine (unlike several of his others). This is very nice! Delicate but precise and a pleasure.
The Burgundy Briefingnews, views and tastings Sarah Marsh MWWinter DOMAINE NICOLAS ROSSIGNOL, VOLNAYNicolas Rossignol produces wine from his own domaine and Rossignol-Jeanniard, which belongsto his father, but from now on it will all be marketed under the same label.Nicolas’s father originally sold to Négoce. When Nicolas completed his wine studies, he made thedecision to bottle the wine himself. His father was happy to go along with this idea, but only ifNicolas took charge. He embarked on his winemaking career in 1994 using his father’s vineyards.Of course he had no export market at first so he continued to sell to négoce, keeping some backfor bottling himself. Sometime after, a cousin allowed him to rent some vines in Pommard forproduction under his own name. Nicolas had almost gone to South Africa, but with opportunity inthe offering he cancelled the trip and was rewarded for shortly after, his father gave him somevineyards to provide him with sufficient hectareage to make a business under his own label. Thetwo estates were kept separate although father and son were working together.Fortunately Nicolas’s father had worked the vines without herbicides, relying on ploughinginstead. Yield was the area in which most attention was needed. (This is to be expected wherethe harvest is sold to Négoce). Nicolas tackled this with short pruning at first, but his fathershowed him how to long prune and debud in order to have the grapes spread out. Nicolas hadhis own ideas in the winery too and insisted that no racking took place, so that the wine wouldremain on lees until bottling. Filtration and fining were also stopped, although there was a littlefiltration in 2004.“My father is not really interested in the winery, so he let me have a free hand and I learnt veryquickly, particularly as we had a wide range of wines from 6 villages”“I don’t agree with people who say I have modern wine. I like wine with good maturity” remarksNicolas. “I want each wine to be very different. I want to reflect the soil. For some cuvees I haveonly one barrel. I want to understand the soil completely. I also try to respect the vintage and toadapt my techniques every year.” For example Nicolas tells me he used a clay solution to sprayon the grapes after the hail storm this year to help dry the grapes. He likes to mix techniques,incorporating some biodynamic practices, but crucially, focusing on attention to detail. He usesvery small 7-8 kg cases for picking and of course a selection table. He had 12 people working in2004, but in 2005 just 4 were needed. “In 2004 I said to my father. ‘We are not very famous, butwe have to do this to maintain quality”.The following paragraphs illustrate how Nicolas adapts his techniques:In 2004 he destemmed 100% of the bunches, while in 2005 he used some whole bunches. Thefermentation lasted two weeks in 2004 and 3-4 weeks in 2005. In 2004 there was very littlepigeage. “The skin was thin and I wanted to keep the balance with the fruit, so I did not want toextract too much in 2004.” 2005 in contrast received more pigeage, which Nicolas considers gives“more roundness, gras and definitely more complexity, especially when used at the beginning ofthe fermentation.”In 2004 there was no new oak. “I tried to protect the fruit. I didn’t want to mask this with newoak. I put 2004 on the lees of 2003, because in 2004 lees were not so good. As usual I left themwithout racking and they almost completely absorbed the lees.” In 2005 the wine is on its ownlees. Nicolas likes to keep the wine to naturally precipitate before putting it in barrel. The 2006was biding its time. “I like to take time to let the gros lees fall and keep the fine lees, so can wecan keep it in barrel until bottling without racking.”He needed to wait longer than usual for the 2004s, because of the MLF was late. He bottled inmiddle of spring 2006. However some of the 2005s will be bottled in January. “2005 was a fastyear of growing in the vineyard. The grapes sped to ripeness and the wine went very fast in theageing. I follow the pace of the wine. In 2003 I waited for 24 months.” He likes bottling in winter“you close the wine and it gives it more freshness and fruit.”“The vines suffered in 2004, stressed from the hail, then in spring 2005 they started very fast. Ifelt the vineyard had unused capacity and they wanted to go fast. You could feel the energy inthe vineyard; also the weather was very good. There was perfect evolution.” Nicolas likes toleave the vineyard to ‘grow up’ and then after the flowering cut it. “The grapes are smaller as theenergy is the shoots and not in the grapes.” It was dry in 2005, but Nicolas saw no stress, only invillage Pommard. He is sure the ploughing helps by assisting the roots into the soil.“There was less acidity in 2005 than in 2004. In 2004 there was the problem of leaf loss duringthe hail, but the acidity was high because of the concentration, not the maturation in Volnay.There was limited photosynthesis.” The ph (with one exception) was average in 2005 3.3-3.5.Despite liking the 2005, Nicolas’ favourite vintage is 1999. “I would like to make it again, withwhat I know now.”Nicolas admits that he used to like big wines, but considers his preferences have changed as hehas matured and now he favours more mineral and direct wines.SM
Bourgogne, L’Héritière80 year old vines under the Château de Pommard. “This is special wine,” says Nicolas, “from theplain de Pommard and from an old vineyard planted in 1922, which has very small, black grapesat harvest.” In 2002 he decided to separate the old vines and the name reflects that he hasinherited these from his grandfather, who was responsible for planting them.The aroma is rich and and slightly feral. The palate is butch, robust with rather rustic tannins forpinot noir and very black. A big bodied and big boned. It is not long, but it is very expressive.Attractive.
Pernand-VergelessesNot racked and still in barrel. This was planted by his other grandfather on his mother’s side.Black and very spicy. Focused, direct, pacy and mineral. Not a big wine, but a straight one. Thetannins are a little rustic. It has a reasonable finish. Good (+). From 2008
BeauneThis is on the Pommard side. 40-50 year old vinesA firmly structured wine. Big-bodied with powerful, chunky, chewy tannins and firm acidity. Abruiser for Beaune. I prefer his Pernand-Vergelesses. Good. From 2009.*
Savigny les Beaune, Aux Fourneaux30% whole bunches in the bottom of the vat. “I learnt this technique Christophe Roumier.” Thisis the first year he has made this wine. The parcel came from domaine Robert Ampeau. The twofamilies are related.Masses of fruit, generous body with a luscious exuberance. Soft tannins, very juicy with essenceof cherry and a pure fruit driven finish. While it is not especially serious, it is certainly attractive.Very good++. From 2009
Beaune, Clos du RoiAlso from the Ampeau family. 100% destemmedThis was very ripe and smells more like Grenache. A full bodied wine with spicy red fruit. Thetannins are soft, the body rounded and fulsome, the acidity low. It’s not very pinot, but it’s rathergood. From 2009*
Beaune, Clos-des-MouchesThis was inherited from his grandparents on father’s side. 25 ares. Nicolas tells me “This is nearto Pezerolles, while Drouhin’s is the other side nearer Beaune and on lighter soil.”This is rich, but is also quite subtle. Deep intense fruit with lovely balancing acidity. There is afirm structure, but it carries itself smoothly along the palate. Starts wide and rounded and thenfocuses in and becomes quite elegant. There is a hint of floral fragrace on the palate and chalkon the finish. Fine. From 2009
Pommard, Les VignotsThis village appellation as its nane implies lies above the village. Nicolas describes the soil ashaving many small white stones and not a lot of clay. It faces directly south, yet because of thesoil it doesn’t become overly ripe.Chalky, tight and narrow with fine tannins, vivacity and red fruit. The substance is modest, butthe style is good. Very attractive to good. From 2008/9
Volnay, Caillerets“You have to leave this wine alone, as far as possible,” Nicolas explains. “I have learnt thoughexperience that if you interfere and try and extract more, it will give less.”Low and perfumed, rich with rose petals. Very fruity and soft at the beginning of the palate. It isripe but translucent with lovely perfumed fruit and there is delicacy to the fruit and a lacy qualityto the texture. The tannins are delicate, fine grained and almost powdery. The finish focuses inand is long and sensual with a touch of chalk. Fine to very fine. From 2010.
Volnay, ChevretJust under Caillerets where the slope flattens out a bit. Nicolas rents his vines. There are only 3owners. The vines are 40 and 60 year old. “It is a wine for lazy winemakers.”This is a bolder wine with ripe, satiny taninns, a well-toned generosity and a rounded fullishbody, yet it is also stylish and elegant with a silky smooth texture. Some very attractive juicy fruitand good volume. Fine. From 2010
Volnay, Clos Des AnglesThere is plumy fruit at the beginning if the palate and a prune fruit flavour as it develops. Thetannins are much more severe, and the finish is rather dry and abrupt. Try again.
Volnay, FremietsMuscular Volnay with a gravely gusty character. It is quite earthy with sturdy tannins and aplumy ripeness. It tightens to a strict, stony and long finish. This is both ripe and mineral. It isvery disjointed at the moment, but potentially fine. From 2010
Volnay, Roncerets1 hectare in total and 4 producers. This is the end of the combe, where there are lots of washeddown rocks and the roots delve deep. It translates a blackberry bush.This has black fruit with good intensity, sturdy tannins and a tarry, savoury minerality, It has anassertive profile, condensed and taut. It is a dark wine with a knitted textural muscularity and along earthy, mineral finish. A robustly structured gutsy Volnay. Fine to fine+. From 2010
Volnay, SantenotsNicolas has young vines “on the Volnay side for structure and power” and old vines “on theMeursault side in elegant and lighter soil.” They are vinified separately. The sample I tried wasabout 50/50, but it will be about 70% of young vine material.This is an impressive blend, though not a true representation. It is rich, full, dense and spicy. Thetannins are thick and velvety and the finish is persistent and sweet. Potentially fine. (NB this isnot an accurate blend.)*
Pommard, Les JarolièresThis has a firm tannic structure here. The fruit is black and burly, the profile quite four square.Excellent density and intensity with muscular rippling power and firm acidity. It has acompleteness. It shows good potential not least in the very long and powerful finish. Fine to veryfine. From 2012+*
Pommard, Les Chanlins-BasSweet seductiveness to the nose. An explosion of fruit on the palate to begin with then it reallybatons down and becomes very tight focused, linear and pacy onto an impressive finish. Veryvigourous, powerful with a mineral directness. With its fruit and pace it is more expressive than the Jarolières. Fine to very fine. From 2012.
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