Guy Roulot

Guy Roulot is a white wine reference point in Burgundy. If you adore high quaility white Burgundy, you’ve likely caught wind of Domaine Roulot. This estate based in Meursault has without fanfare become one of the region’s most revered names, its repute built on a blend of family tradition, innovative thinking, and an unerring focus on quality, all from a very experienced winemaker. This is what makes Roulot tick, from its roots to its vineyards, its people, and a few fun facts that might astound those in the know.

History

Domaine Roulot tells the tale of a family with deep roots in Meursault, a village known around the world for its remarkable white wines. It was actually established in the 1800s, but the true turning point in the story of the estate comes with the rise of Guy Roulot in the 1930s.

Trained as a pharmacist, Guy inherited the family vineyards and decided to focus on wine rather than follow a medical path. He expanded the estate and the vineyards, always seeking a way to refine the style and character of the wines. Most importantly, he began bottling the wines from individual vineyards, highlighting the unique character of each site. In a time and place where almost everyone else was blending different wines together, Guy was using one of the fundamental erasing techniques of an artist, he was isolating each plot.

Guy Roulot died in 1982, His son Jean-Marc Roulot (a former actor) took over in 1989 and continued the very succesfull story on Domaine Guy Roulot.

The Vineyards

Roulot's vineyards stretch across Meursault, with a few parcels in neighboring villages. The domaine cultivates about 15–16 hectares and produces 17 different wines.

Most of the land is dedicated to Chardonnay, the grape that made Meursault famous, but there is also a little bit of Aligoté and Pinot Noir. Some of the most prized and talked-about parcels include:

• Meursault 1er Cru Perrières

• Meursault 1er Cru Charmes

• Meursault 1er Cru Les Bouchères

• Village-level sites like Les Luchets and Les Tessons

• Clos de Mon Plaisir

These vineyards are farmed organically and, in parts, biodynamically, with a focus on respecting the land and letting each plot's character shine through.

The Grape Used

Chardonnay is the undisputed star at Roulot. Almost all of the estate's wines are white, made from this grape. There's a bit of Aligoté, Burgundy's "other" white grape, and a small amount of Pinot Noir for red wines, but these are minor players compared to the main act.

The Way of Winemaking

Jean-Marc Roulot is known for his meticulous, hands-off approach. The grapes are hand-harvested and pressed gently, with most of the juice coming out at low pressure—a technique that helps preserve purity and freshness. Fermentation takes place in barrels, mostly old, with a restrained use of new oak (usually 20–30% for premier crus, less for village wines). The wines spend about a year aging on the lees in barrel, with minimal stirring. After that, they're moved to stainless steel tanks for another six months before bottling. This two-stage aging process is a signature of Roulot, giving the wines both texture and tension.

Three Interesting Aspects

- Acting and Wine: Jean-Marc Roulot didn’t surrender acting when his family estate handed him wine duties. He’s cashing in on his 15 minutes of fame and has starred in films, television, and a guest spot in Netflix’s “Call My Agent!” (season two, episode three). If you want to see a different kind of Burgundy film, “Back to Burgundy,” which did some shooting at the domaine, is also a choice pick.

- Individual Vineyard Bottlings: “My father was one of the first (in Meursault) to do that,” Roulot says. “He did it always in a respectful way, he never used it as a marketing tool.” Meursault winemakers now regularly bottle individual vineyard (or “parcel”) wines. It’s a pretty consistent practice.

- Working the Land: Roulot and his team actually work the land (they are farmers). They are certified organic. They use biodynamic principles. If that all sounds familiar, it should. Monty Don just had a segment about that in “The Growing Season.” Roulot started doing that before it was a thing in Burgundy.