Emmanuel Rouget

Emmanuel Rouget, a tractor engineer by training, was given a job by his uncle, the legendary Henri Jayer, in 1976. Uncle Henri instilled an unbridled enthusiasm and knowledge of winemaking in his young nephew and in 1985 Emmanuel set up on his own operating out of cellars in Flagey. He took on vines from Henri's brother, Lucien, in Echézeaux and Vosne-Romanée on a share cropping basis, which in effect meant that Emmanuel worked the vines and vinified the wine, and then gave half the wine to Uncle Lucien, while keeping the other half for himself. Rouget’s son Nicolas has joined his father and another, Guillaume, is showing interest.

By 1996 Emmanuel was producing wines from the vineyards of three of his uncles - Henri, Lucien and Georges, as well as from the vineyards of the Michelin star chef, Jean Crottet. By and large, Emmanuel has remained faithful to the techniques employed by Henri Jayer - namely an insistence on ultra low yields, a pre-fermentation cold maceration and the maturation of the major wines in 100% new oak barrels.The grapes are sorted both in the vineyard and again in the cuvérie, before being deslalked and fermented after a cool pre-maceration. Emmanuel Rougeot favours pumping over ahead of punching down. The wine is matured in barrels from Francois Frères and Taransaud. One year old barrels are used for Bourgogne Rouge, 50% new oak for Vosne Romanée but 100% for Savigny-lès-Beaune, Nuits St Georges and the crus.
 
His wines are now very highly rated and keenly sought-after by connoisseurs worldwide. They are luscious, red fruited wines with a perceptible oak aspect.


Echezeaux                                                                                         1.43 ha
Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Beaumonts                                         0.26 ha
Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux                                  0.77 ha
Vosne Romanée                                                                              1.20 ha
Nuits St Georges Lavières                                                             0.60 ha
Savigny-lès-Beaune                                                                         0.33 ha
Côte de Nuits Villages Les Chaillots                                           0.25 ha
 
Echezeaux
The vines come from three sectors, Les Treux, Clos St Denis and Les Cruots. Rouget’s Echezeaux appears in the market under two slightly different labels, his own and another which refers to Georges Jayer.
 
Vosne Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux
Those expecting a hyper-succulent wine have missed the point. Cros Parantoux is a hillside vineyard and the first sensation is one of almost pure minerals on the palate. And then all the different fruits begin to appear, some red, some black, each in its place and generating a sense of precision. The longer the wine is in the mouth, the more there is to taste. With bottle age the wine will become richer and more rounded.