ARMAND ROUSSEAU

Domaine Armand Rousseau, pearls of Burgundy 

The Domaine Armand Rousseau was founded at the beginning of the 20th century when 18-year-old Armand Rousseau inherited several plots of land in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, in Burgundy. Initially he sold his wines in bulk to local merchants, but in the 1920s, with the acquisition of new fine vineyards such as Charmes Chambertin, Clos de la Roche and Chambertin, he decided to start bottling his own wines, which were sold to local shops and restaurants as well as to private customers.

Over the years, Armand Rousseau continued to expand his Domaine with the purchase of important Grands Crus. This work was continued by his son Charles Rousseau, to whom his father had purchased the famous 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques, considered by many to be on a par with a Grand Cru in terms of quality. Today, the Domaine is in the hands of Eric Rousseau, Charles' son, and his daughter Cyrielle, who manage the 15 hectares of vines on the estate with the same passion handed down from generation to generation, 8.5 of which are in the Grand Cru Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Charmes-Chambertin, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Mazy-Chambertin and Clos de la Roche.

The vineyards, mainly of pinot noir, have an average age of 45 years and are cultivated in such a way as to minimise yields. Ageing lasts 18 months and takes place in completely new barrels for the Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze, 80/90% new for the Clos Saint Jaques, 20% new for the Ruchottes-Chambertin and a second year for all the other wines. The vinification is done in a very traditional way in order to preserve the original style of the Domaine, which over time has achieved great success and several awards for the extraordinary quality of its wines.