History and winemaking
The estate was founded in 1924 following the marriage of Georges Roumier to Geneviève Quanquin, whose family possessed vines in Chambolle-Musigny. Georges developed the property and was an early adopter of domaine bottling at a time when négociants dominated the regional trade. His son Jean-Marie succeeded him in 1961, following a period of expansion during the 1950s that introduced plots in Bonnes-Mares as well as the 1953 purchase of the Clos de la Bussière in Morey-Saint-Denis. Further vineyard additions included a parcel of Corton-Charlemagne in 1968 and Musigny in 1978.
Christophe Roumier joined his father in 1981 after completing his oenological studies, and the entire harvest has been domaine-bottled since the 1983 vintage. Leading the estate since Jean-Marie's retirement in 1990, Christophe oversees vinifications guided by manual harvesting, indigenous yeasts, and restrained use of new oak. Chemical fertilizers were eliminated in 1988, followed by herbicides in 1989, sustaining a meticulous viticultural approach across both owned parcels and long-standing family leases.
Grand Cru vineyards
Aloxe Corton Corton Charlemagne
Acquired in 1968, the domaine's holding lies high on the Montagne de Corton between 280 and 330 meters on steep slopes of 20 to 23%. The clay-rich yellowish and brown marly soils, capped by thin rendzinas, rest on alternating beds of Jurassic limestone and marl.
Chambolle Musigny Bonnes-Mares
Integrated during the 1950s, this 1.392-hectare holding lies on an east-facing gentle slope with an average vine age of 40 years. The vines are split equally between Terres Blanches and Terres Rouges, growing in light, gravelly brown-to-reddish soils with clay and flint over Jurassic limestone and white marl, vinified separately before blending.
Chambolle Musigny Musigny
Located at the high northern corner of the appellation, this 0.100-hectare plot features vines with an average age of 77 years, tracing back to a 1905 planting. The site sits on an east- to southeast-facing rocky limestone terrace with an 8 to 14% slope, characterized by shallow soils containing red clay near the top.
Christophe Roumier — Gevrey Chambertin Ruchottes-Chambertin
Farmed under a sharecropping arrangement established in 1977 on Michel Bonnefond's 0.544-hectare holding, one-third of the harvest is bottled under the Christophe Roumier label. The 40-year-old vines face the rising sun on a moderate slope, planted in shallow, stony, carbonated soils rich in clay and red silt over fractured Bathonian limestone.
Vougeot Clos de Vougeot
Acquired in 1952, this former holding consisted of two parcels historically vinified together under the estate label. Domaine Georges Roumier ceased exploiting this Grand Cru after the 1996 vintage, following internal family transfers.
Premier Cru vineyards
Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses
Entrusted to Georges Roumier in 1924, this 0.396-hectare parcel has an average vine age of 40 years alongside nearly centenarian vines. The terrain slopes between 5% and 20% on shallow clay over compact Comblanchien limestone in the upper section and Prémeaux limestone with Marnes à Ostrea acuminata below.
Chambolle Musigny Les Combottes
Covering 0.275 hectare with vines averaging 19 years, this climat has been vinified as a dedicated cuvée since 2005 after previously being blended into the village wine. Situated in the depression of a former torrent bed, its soil is composed of clay, gravel, and large water-borne rocks.
Chambolle Musigny Les Cras
Domaine Georges Roumier exploits 1.755 hectares divided into two parcels on the northern flank of the Combe d'Ambin, facing east to southeast with an average vine age of 45 years. The shallow, stony soil is high in active limestone, resting on Upper Bajocian marly and argillaceous limestones containing Ostrea acuminata fossils.
Morey Saint Denis Clos de la Bussière
Acquired in 1953, this 2.592-hectare walled Cistercian clos is a monopole of Domaine Georges Roumier. The east-facing vineyard lies on a gentle slope with vines averaging 35 years of age, rooted in clayey and stony ground containing fragments of Oligocene conglomerate.
Choosing a vintage and bottle
Due to strict allocations and historic prestige, securing bottles from Domaine Georges Roumier requires working closely with verified fine wine specialists. While premier crus like Clos de la Bussière offer expressive early complexity, the Grand Crus and Les Amoureuses require extended cellaring to fully integrate their structure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the relationship between Domaine Georges Roumier and Christophe Roumier bottlings?
Christophe Roumier directs Domaine Georges Roumier, but specific cuvées such as Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru originate from a sharecropping arrangement on land owned by Michel Bonnefond, where one-third of the harvest is bottled under the Christophe Roumier label.
How is Bonnes-Mares vinified at Domaine Georges Roumier?
The estate's 1.392 hectares in Bonnes-Mares are divided equally between the lighter Terres Blanches and the clay-heavy Terres Rouges. Christophe Roumier vinifies each parcel separately before blending them together prior to bottling.
Does Domaine Georges Roumier still produce Clos de Vougeot?
No, Domaine Georges Roumier no longer produces Clos de Vougeot. The holdings acquired in 1952 were distributed within the family in stages after 1984, and the estate ceased exploiting the cru after the 1996 vintage.
