Burgundy: Domaine Joseph Roty

by Gary Faust

In Burgundy, there are excellent wines made from renowned terroir, noteworthy negociants and then there is Domaine Joseph Roty. Joseph was a man known for being obstinate, eccentric and a perfectionist dedicated to the craft of winemaking. Because of these familial traits, the domaine has preserved and passed down their winemaking tradition through 11 successive generations. It’s incredible to think the Rotys have been making wine in Gevrey since the time of Louis XIV, farming the same plot of land for over 300 years. Joseph Roty passed away in 2008 and the domaine is now in the capable hands of his son, Philippe, who makes wine in the manner of his father. In fact, Philippe is now producing several outstanding wines under his name as well.

The domaine’s approach can be described as being very hands-on. They are fastidious in the treatment of the vines, refusing to use insecticide, herbicides or chemicals for fertilization. An inordinate amount of time is spent amongst the vines, paying attention to the smallest of details and continuously assessing the health of the vines and grapes. The vines are very old and even the basic Bourgogne bottles include grapes from vines aged more than 60 years. Some of the grapes from the premier cru and grand cru wines comes from vines that are more than 100 years old.

Domaine Roty’s winemaking style is also quite distinctive. First, Philippe examines and tastes grapes from each batch to verify phenolic ripeness and quality of the fruit. After a severe triage, sorting through the grapes to eliminate the sub-standard fruit, there is a weeklong cold soaking before the fermentation is allowed to commence at a low temperature. Their style is to extract more color, tannin and phenolic compounds than their peers, before aging the wine in oak casks made to their exacting standards.

Also unusual for Burgundian red wines, they practice batonage or stirring the fine lees to achieve a richer mouthfeel. The wines are then bottled without fining or filtration to avoid stripping the wine of the character they worked so hard to develop. The resulting wine is deep in color and concentration, with excellent body.

Critics routinely sing the praises for Domaine Joseph Roty; here are some sample comments:

“Roty has made an extended push in Marsannay…and is now by far and away the quality leader for this appellation.”
--Allen Meadows, Burghound

“The village wines, including those from Marsannay, routinely outperform most premier crus from the northern Cote de Nuits. And they are reasonably priced.”
--Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
“Roty wines are very distinctive. They are full, very intense, very perfumed and very harmonious. They are certainly immensely seductive.”
--Clive Coates, Cote D’Or

“This is winemaking of exceptional quality at every level.”
Remington Norman, The Great Domaines of Burgundy

The vineyard holdings for Domaine Joseph Roty are quite small and include several parcels which are less than an acre in size. This results in a very limited amount of bottles available for sale. These highly desirable wines are substantial, age-worthy and of very high quality which are coveted by collectors and connoisseurs alike. We are fortunate to be the only retailer in California to receive an allocation of the 2012 vintage from this small production domaine, although we certainly did not receive as much as we would like. We are excited to carry the wines of Domaine Joseph Roty and be able to share them with our customers!

Domaine Joseph Roty Coteaux Bourgignons Rouge $24.99 [344316]
Aromas of dark fruit augmented with a warm, creamy texture. This is fresh and has plenty of impact. Really good flavors – highly impressive. An excellent value given its price-point.

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Bourgogne Rouge “Cuvée de Pressonnier”
$32.99 [344300]
"The 2012 Bourgogne Cuvee de Pressonnier comes from a single 1.5-hectare parcel. This comes across as rounded, full and assertive on the nose: clean and pure with raspberry and wild strawberry infused with vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is a correct and linear Bourgogne Rouge: fresh in the mouth with a crisp finish that has fine tension." --Robert Parker 87-89 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty Marsannay Blanc $28.99 [344317]
Complex with good density and concentration and a long finish. Very limited production.

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Marsannay Rosé $24.99 [344301]
The grapes are grown specifically to make this rosé and display the complexity and character associated with Pinot Noir.

"A fresh and overtly fruity nose features mostly red pinot fruit and raspberry aromas. There is good intensity to the delicious and easy-to-like flavors that are quite refreshing and persistent if not especially complex. This should drink well as soon as it's released." --Burghound

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Marsannay Rouge $43.99 [344302]
“Bright, deep red. Aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice. Juicy, supple and sweet if a bit lacking in nuance. Shows good intensity but finishes slightly tart. 2017-2027.”
--Stephen Tanzer 86-88 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Marsannay “En Ouzeloy” $48.99 [344303]
Ouzeloy is Roty’s northernmost parcel on land that has only a 1 percent grade. The secret to this vineyard is soil containing small rock fragments which provides quick drainage. Ouzeloy produces outstanding wine, year in and year out.

"Mild but not invisible wood character serves as a backdrop to the spicy dark berry fruit, cassis and prominent earth aromas. The round and supple middle weight flavors possess a slightly more refined mouth feel thanks to the relatively fine-grained tannins shaping the dusty and delicious finish where the oak is more completely integrated. This mouth coating effort is a woody but high quality effort that is worth your attention."
--Burghound 90 Points "Outstanding"

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Marsannay Rouge Cuvée de Boivin $49.99 [334304]
The upper part of the vineyard is covered with a white pebbly limestone. The center is marl (a mix of clay and decomposed limestone) studded with oyster fossils. The lower (bas) section is on deeper marl topsoil over Comblanchien limestone.

"The 2012 Marsannay Cuvée Boivin has an intriguing bouquet: dark cherry fruit, cassis, strong forest floor aromas with a lovely touch of wild mushroom and truffle. The palate is very harmonious with a sorbet fresh entry. This Marsannay is a like a ping-pong ball, ricocheting around the mouth with its spicy dark berry fruit. What a lovely, enthralling wine!"
--Robert Parker 91-93 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Marsannay Clos de Jeu $49.99 [344305]
Clos de Jeu sits between two faults on limestone, which the vines can easily penetrate. Clos de Jeu closely mirrors the terroir of the great grand cru vineyards, in superb orientation, perfect slope position, excellent soils.

"The 2012 Marsannay Clos de Jeu comes from vines over 60-years old. This has a more refined and sophisticated bouquet compared to the other Marsannay crus from Roty, the fruit redder and well delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red citrus-fresh fruit on the entry. There is fine tension here, lighter than the Boivin but just as delicious, adorned with a silky texture on the composed finish." --Robert Parker 91-93 Points

Domaine Philippe Roty 2012 Côtes Nuit Village $49.99 [344314]
"Strong reduction completely flattens the underlying fruit. This is a bit more texturally elegant than the Clos du Jeu with a lovely sense of vibrancy to the delineated and concentrated flavors that possess solid depth and length on the mouth coating finish."
--Burghound 88-91 Points

Domaine Philippe Roty 2012 Marsannay Champs Saint Etienne $48.99 [344318]
"A mildly toasty array of assorted dark berries, earth and mild sauvage hints leads to medium-bodied flavors that are underpinned by notably ripe tannins and fine concentration, all wrapped in an impressively long if overtly rustic finish where the wood toast resurfaces."
--Burghound 88 Points

Domaine Philippe Roty 2012 Marsannay Les Quartiers $48.99 [334315]
"The 2012 Marsannay Quartiers (Philippe Roty) has a subtle bouquet with attractive forest floor scents infusing the red fruit profile, lighter on its feet than the Cuvee Etienne at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a saline tang on the entry. This is nicely balanced with good tension and it builds gently in the mouth towards a subtle spicy finish. This is a classy Marsannay from Philippe Roty." --Robert Parker 89-91 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin $72.99 [344307]
"The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Village comes from various parcels from around the appellation. It has a noticeably deep ruby color. The nose is tight and compact at the moment, the new oak just a little oppressive compared to say, some of Roty’s Marsannay crus at this early stage. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit on the entry and a fine line of acidity. It is focused and taut with good persistency on the finish; a modern sheen with plenty of flavor on the finish."
--Robert Parker 88-90 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Champs Chenys $77.99 [334306]
Champs-Chenys is surrounded by the Grand Crus Charmes Chambertin on one side and Mazy-Chambertin on another. Here the small dirt lane divides the village-level Champs-Chenys from the Grand Cru “Aux Charmes.” The soil here is a deep, but complex mix of pebbles, galets, limestone, and iron pyrite over limestone that forms this part of the escarpment.

"Strong reduction and wood toast are a pungent introduction to the otherwise delicious and refined middle weight flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a mildly woody finish that displays both good vibrancy and length. There is good concentration to the mid-palate and overall this is a lovely Gevrey villages."
--Burghound 89-91 Points "Outstanding, Top Value"

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin La Brunelle $82.99 [334308]
Located at the domaine, La Brunelle is Roty's unofficial Monopole. Larger and deeper, characteristic of the wine's origin, La Brunelle maintains red fruit aromas with smoke and animal notes with the structure and finish to provide great aging potential.

"Good dark red. Reduced, rather wild aromas of syrupy blackberry and raspberry. Ripe but dry, and showing less personality today than the Champs Chenys. A bit medicinal and sullen today and hard to taste. Finishes with serious tannins. 2019-2028." --Stephen Tanzer 88-90 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur Bas $85.99 [334309]
"Discreet but not invisible wood toast sets off agreeably fresh and cool red berry fruit aromas that are trimmed Read More...in notes of earth, humus and once again a hint of the sauvage. The palate impression of the intense, delicious, lush and dusty middle weight flavors is equally fresh and vibrant and there is very solid volume to the mid-palate while the attractively lingering finish evidences hints of minerality and austerity. This is an excellent villages."
-Burghound 90 Points "Outstanding"

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys 1er Cru
$156.99 [344310]
Adjacent to the Grand Cru Ruchottes-Chambertin, Fontenys has similar thin marl and limestone topsoil over the same Premeaux limestone slab. Fontenys sits at the top of the hill as it begins to curve toward the Combe de Lavaux. At the bottom of the vineyard, one corner dips down into an alluvial fan. The Premier Crus of Estournelles, Lavaux and Clos St Jacques can be seen on the opposite hillside.

“Bright ruby-red. Crushed blackberry, black cherry, strawberry confiture, licorice and violet on the nose. Then juicy but tight and imploded on the palate. This distinctly introverted premier cru finishes with a serious tannic spine that calls for patience. 2023-2035.”
Stephen Tanzer 90-92 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru $312.99 [344311] (Very limited - Call)
Sixty Percent of the vines used in the Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin "Tres Vieilles Vignes" were planted before 1881 with the others coming from 1885. With incredible fruit and structure, this is a wine with multiple dimensions which are meant to mesmerize in youth and especially, in age.

Bright medium red. Rich, sweet aromas of kirsch, espresso and menthol lifted by a violet topnote. Very sweet and gentle for this cuvee; larger-scaled than the Griottes but perhaps not as sexy today as this wine is evolving more slowly. This wonderfully plush, broad grand cru finishes with strong but well-buffered tannins and excellent grip. Am I underrating this today? 2026-2044." --Stephen Tanzer 92-94 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Mazy-Chambertin Grand Cru $321.99 [344312]
The soils of the Mazis-Chambertin vineyard are well drained and stony, with a thin layer of pebble-strewn, chalky topsoil over a deep, rocky base. The higher end of the slope has particularly thin limestone soils forcing the vines to grow deep, strong root systems. This results in a more fragrant style of wine that is lighter in color, but just as concentrated as the best the other sites have to offer. (Very limited - Call)

“Bright ruby-red. Inky aromas of blackberry, blueberry and violet. Precise and seamless but youthfully folded in on itself, showing a strong torrefaction note of bitter chocolate to go with the dark berries. Very clenched on the finish today but this tactile grand cru possesses terrific underlying sweetness of fruit. 2025-2040.” --Stephen Tanzer 91-93 Points

Domaine Joseph Roty 2012 Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru $379.99 [344313]
(Very limited - Call)
“Bright ruby-red. Black cherry, raspberry and menthol on the nose, complicated by musky notes of coffee, iron, licorice and spices. Plusher and sweeter today than the Mazy, showing a more pliant texture to the flavors of kirsch and licorice. The lovely, spicy, mounting finish displays much rounder tannins than the Mazy but also terrific energy to support a graceful development in bottle. 2024–2038.” --Stephen Tanzer 92-94 Points

Piaggia Wines • Carmignano, Tuscany

by Gary Faust

It was an unexpected pleasure when Silvia Vannucci of Piaggia Wines dropped by the store. We were thrilled to meet her as she is the winemaker of this great Carmignano estate, which her father established in the 1970s.

Carmignano is a wine-producing region in Tuscany, just north of the beautiful town of Florence with a long and fascinating history. The wines are not as well known in the United States as their neighbors in Chianti, but they are held in high regard and are noteworthy wines of distinction.

This beautiful land has long been favored by nobility including the Medici family. The ultimate power family of Tuscany became even more so when Catherin de Medici married the King of France in the 16th century, becoming the Queen. As a wedding gift, the King gave cuttings of Cabernet Franc vines from Bordeaux to the family and thus began the tradition of blending Cabernet Franc into the bottlings of Carmignano. In return, the Medici family’s wedding gift was silverware. Up to that point, the royal court of France ate its food without utensils!

The wine was held in such high esteem that in 1716, the duke Cosimo III ruled the area should have special legal protected status, thus creating one of the world’s first wine appellations. As a point of comparison, the French AOC system was not established until the 1930s.

Carmignano is not a large appellation, with only 11 producers farming 500 hectares. As in Chianti, the majority of the grapes used in the red wine are Sangiovese, but the appellation of Carmignano mandates that the wine contain 10-20% Cabernet Franc. For anyone who has enjoyed Tuscan expressions of Cabernet Franc, you know it is not an herbal or spicy style common to some other areas where it is grown. Instead, it brings lush, ripe fruit with fine grained tannins. One could almost argue Carmignano is home to the original SuperTuscan wines with its inclusion of the international variety, Cabernet Franc. The wines are Bordeaux-like, which is not surprising given the maritime influence of the nearby coast and its clay soil.

The original three-hectare plot of land purchased by Vannucci’s father is ideally situated in a southwest facing amphitheater, which serves to uniformly ripen the grapes. Silvia’s father was originally in the textile business and made a little wine on the side for his family. He began giving wine as a thank you to some of his customers who immediately recognized the quality. Initially her father didn’t know much about winemaking, but the excellent terroir revealed itself in the high quality of the wine. The family began formally selling their wine in 1990 and immediately received praise from critics.

The family has been slowly adding land, but their vineyard holdings total only 15 hectares as they strive to maintain quality. The wines of Piaggia come only from their estate grown grapes, which are hand-picked with a focus on ensuring a high degree of phenolic ripeness. At the sorting table, strict sorting results in only the best grapes making the cut. The wines are then aged in French barriques before bottling.

Very little of the wine is made with even less making it to California. Only 300 bottles of the Carmignano Riserva are brought into California, while approximately 200 bottles of the Poggio de’Colli Cabernet Franc make it here. This is low-production, high quality stuff. The wines display amazing richness and purity of fruit and are a treat to behold. We decided to highlight three of our favorite wines that we are fortunate enough to have in our cellar.

Il Sasso Carmignano 2011 $35.98 [301580]

Deep, intense ruby red. Complex on the nose, reminiscent of Maraschino cherries, sweet spices, thyme and cocoa. Full and enveloping on the palate with an excellent balance of fruit, acid and tannins, and a persistent finish. This wine pairs well with mature cheeses, red meat and game. 

Carmignano Riserva 2011 $49.95 [303984]

The Carmignano Riserva is the flagship wine of Piaggia, showcasing a modern interpretation of Carmignano's Sangiovese base blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This a selection of the best hand-picked grapes and subsequently the best barrels produced at the winery. This is regarded as perhaps the best wine produced in the appellation.

Stephen Tanzer 92 Points: “Deep, penetrating aromas of ripe black cherry and cassis complicated by cedar and graphite. Big, deep and rich, but with lively harmonious acidity framing and lifting the ripe red and dark fruit flavors. Finishes smooth and very concentrated, but with an element of gracefulness and refinement that is lacking in the Il Sasso vineyard. Owner Mauro Vannucci believes in harvesting the ripest fruit possible and Piaggia often starts picking its merlot grapes when others have finished harvesting their cabernets! Most of the grapes used for this wine come from the Piaggia vineyard that Vannucci bought in the 1970s from the nearby Capezzana estate. It's a fascinating old vineyard (the vines average roughly 35 years of age), where it's easy to recognize many old vines of cabernet (these are at least 50 years old) co-planted haphazardly among the rows of mainly sangiovese.”  

Poggio de’Colli Toscana IGT $64.95 [303894] 

This 100% Cabernet Franc based wine was recently chosen to receive a coveted Tre Bicchieri award for quality Italian wines by Gambero Rosso (Italy's most influential media group). Tre Bicchieri (“Three Glasses”) wines are deemed to be the best in Italy. The 2014 Tre Bicchieri award winners were selected from 25,000 wines produced by 2000 wineries. This Cabernet Franc is world class, displaying a soft, supple wine which is quite capable of aging.

Deep and intense ruby red with purple highlights. Complex aromas reveal violets, currants, mocha and licorice. On the palate, the wine is mouth-filling and full-bodied with well-integrated tannins, red and dark fruit, exotic spices and a pleasant earthiness culminating in a long finish. This is a delight to enjoy on its own or with a nice steak.

Upright Brewing

Upright Brewing
by Don Fox

My trip to visit Alex Ganum, owner and Brewmaster of Upright, took me to the basement of the historical Hazelwood/Leftbank Building. It’s a recently renovated, giant old-fashioned warehouse in downtown Portland. When I arrived around 10AM, Alex asked me, “Are you against drinking this early?”

This was the best joke I heard on my trip.

During our visit we tried such beers as Upright Oyster Stout, which has all the great usual tastes of a stout with a nice, creamy, minerality twist... taste the oysters. Upright Fourplay a take on the saison Four, is aged in La Bete Pinot Noir barrels with Oregon cherries. Pink in color, light in body, and tart, with the flavor characteristic of earthiness, cherries and funk.

Upright specializes in a niche hybrid Belgian-American farmhouse style. In addition to the brewing facility, Upright has a small-sized tasting room with a very mellow atmosphere; they somehow make it feel like you're spinning records and drinking beers in a friend’s basement. Alex was very generous, and opened up the brewery on a day that they were closed to the public. He invited us to hang out for a few hours to discuss his brewing method and try his beers, and we obliged. 

The brew room’s design is pretty straightforward, intended to make the most of its capacity while still doing everything by hand and staying small-batch. The entire staff at the brewery can be counted on one hand and it’s very easy to see that lots of hard work and time goes into their process. They intend to keep their current situation without expanding past their 1200 barrel-a-year capacity so they can stay focused on both creativity and quality. The fact that Upright purposely brews small batch, artisanal-style beer lets them embrace variations and inconsistencies as they experiment with every batch they brew. Due to the brewing method and their bottle conditioning process, sometimes their beer will taste better after one month in the bottle, and at other times it will hit a sweet spot after three months or more in the bottle. The reality is, no matter how or when you enjoy their beer, it will be amazing.

 

Below is a list of Upright saisons that can be found at Hi-Time with year-round availability. 

 

Upright Four  $9.97 [471968] 750ml

Truly a light yet flavorful beer. The recipe uses a good portion of wheat and incorporates a sour mash into the process to make it slightly tart and extra refreshing. It has delicate aromas and flavors that span a range of floral, grassy and herbal notes. The finish is extra dry and makes the beer a great beverage to pair with food, especially various cheeses and shellfish.

Malts: organic pale, organic wheat, organic munich
Unmalted: rolled wheat
Hops: Hallertauer Mittelfrüh
4.5% abv

Upright Five $9.97 [471966] 750ml

 A farmhouse pale ale that was born after enjoying a few small production European brews that use a heavy hand of hops. This one blends several Mt. Angel grown varieties to create a deep and complex flavor with an underlying earthiness. Pale fruit aromas created during the fermentation brighten the profile and bring the beer balance. 

Malts: organic pale,organic caramel
Unmalted: rolled barley
Hops: Willamette, Liberty, Perle
5.5% abv 

 

Upright Six $9.97 [471967] 750ml

This is a dark rye beer with layered flavors including chocolate, caramel, pepper, wood, cherry and tropical fruit. It starts semi-dry and smooth and finishes fully dry and tart with a small bite from the hops. The overall balance of the Six makes it easy to pair with richly prepared meats along with many harder cheeses.

Malts: organic pale, caramel, rye, black

Unmalted: rolled rye
Hops: Magnum, Tettnanger
6.7% abv