Location and Terroir
The Domaine Armand Rousseau is based in Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy, France. Its vineyards are located in the communes of Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis on the Côte de Nuits. The parcels on slopes with predominantly easterly or south-easterly exposure sit on clay and limestone soils, which are in part characterised by gravel, marl, limestone and calcareous clay.
Vineyard Area and Wines
The estate farms 15.33 hectares, of which 3 hectares in village appellations, 3.77 hectares in Premier Cru and 8.51 hectares in Grand Cru appellations. Pinot Noir is at the heart of the range. The portfolio includes, among others, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Charmes-Chambertin, Mazy-Chambertin, Ruchottes-Chambertin and Clos de la Roche.
The wines are intended to express the distinctive character of the individual climats. The Domaine attributes differences between the wines to the respective climat and the vintage.
Vine Cultivation and Cellar Work
In the vineyards, the simple Guyot training system is applied throughout. Traditional farming practises include yields of 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare. To develop a more biologically oriented way of working, among other things green pruning, work on the foliage and mechanical tillage have been introduced without insecticides or chemical additives. A Chambertin parcel is worked with horse and plough because its layout is unsuitable for machines.
The vinification is carried out traditionally with as few interventions as possible and close monitoring of the fermentation phases. According to the Domaine, these methods have changed very little since the first vintages.
History
Armand Rousseau founded the Domaine at the beginning of the 20th century from inherited vineyard parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin. Through his marriage in 1909, the holdings were expanded; at the same time, cellar and pressing buildings were added. Initially, he sold wine to regional négociants as barrel goods; later, among other things, he acquired parcels in Charmes-Chambertin, Clos de la Roche and Chambertin and began bottling selected crus for restaurants and private customers.
Charles Rousseau joined the family business in 1945 and took it over after Armand Rousseau’s death in 1959. Eric Rousseau joined in 1982, and Cyrielle Rousseau returned to the Domaine on a permanent basis in 2014.
