Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge 2023 Domaine Rollin

The Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge 2023 from Domaine Rollin is the natural entry point into the world of Rémi and Simon Rollin, and it speaks volumes about the ambition and skill of this family domaine in Pernand-Vergelesses. A crunchy, suave, and moreish Pinot Noir, widely recognised as one of the finest price-to-pleasure ratios on the Côte de Beaune, it surpasses its appellation through sheer elegance, freshness, and precise fruit expression.

Terroir and vines

This Hautes Côtes de Beaune comes from parcels on the Pernand-Vergelesses commune, mid-slope, on poor, well-draining clay-limestone soils. That poorness is richness here: it naturally disciplines the vines, concentrates the aromatic expression of Pinot Noir, and gives the wine a minerality and tension that far exceeds what one expects from a regional appellation. All parcels face east and sit in a well-ventilated combe, a natural configuration that ensures the permanent freshness underlying this cuvée's characteristic vibrancy and energy. The twenty-year-old vines border the Pernand-Vergelesses village appellation parcels directly, sharing the same geological coherence. Winemaking is precise and restrained: hand-picked in small crates, careful sorting on arrival, complete destemming, gravity transfer to preserve grape integrity. A five to six-day pre-fermentation maceration at 10°C precedes natural fermentation at controlled temperature, with punch-downs and délestages adjusted daily by taste, a sensory approach that defines the domaine's signature. After two weeks of cuvaison, ageing runs eight to ten months in used oak, followed by assembly in tank, light filtration, and bottling the following summer.

On the palate

The robe is a brilliant, luminous ruby with violet glints, lively and inviting. The nose is refined and open, with immediate fruity concentration: fresh raspberry, cherry, and crisp red berries emerge naturally and precisely, accompanied by peony notes, discreet herbs, and a light pepper touch that marks the clay-limestone terroir. On the palate, crunchiness arrives first: a fresh, fruity attack, fine silky tannins of lovely delicacy, and vibrant acidity well-integrated, bringing momentum and drinkability to a suave, fleshy substance. The matter is sappy, concentrated, and impeccably balanced between fruit, minerality, and freshness. The finish is clean, persistent, and subtly spiced, with that juicy red fruit return that immediately calls for another glass. Pure drinking pleasure, accessible now and capable of lovely evolution over three to five years.

The domaine

Domaine Rollin is a family address established in Pernand-Vergelesses since 1932, now run by Rémi and Simon Rollin, fourth generation, who have raised the 14-hectare domaine among the most reliable and precise references of the Côte de Beaune. Their range, stretching from this Hautes Côtes de Beaune to Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, taking in Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, and their Premiers Crus, is unanimously praised for its consistency, precision, and excellent value at all levels. The philosophy is constant: let terroir express itself without artifice, vinify with precision and minimal intervention, and let time reveal the complexity of each cuvée.

Food pairing

This Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge pairs beautifully with white or red meats freshly grilled, herb-roasted chicken, rabbit with mustard, fresh pasta with wild mushrooms, or fine country terrine. It will also be delicious slightly chilled at aperitif time, alongside a board of Burgundian charcuterie. Served between 14 and 16°C, it will reveal all the fruity freshness and natural elegance of a Pinot Noir from the Côte de Beaune signed by one of the appellation's most serious and consistent families.