Behind the Label

Domaine Rollin Père et Fils

By Saralyn Mehta, Sommelier

The name “Domaine Rollin Père et Fils” seems an understatement when you realize that it encapsulates four generations of family history—four generations of Rollin fathers and sons working some of the finest vineyards in Burgundy. The operation started in the 1940s when Raymond Rollin, a hard-working vineyard labourer, cobbled together his savings to purchase several parcels of vines to call his own in his small village of Pernand-Vergelesses in Burgundy, France. He worked the land, selling his annual harvest grapes to wineries in the region.

It was not until 1955 that the grapes from these plots would be bottled for commercial sale under the Rollin name, an endeavour that was spearheaded by Raymond’s son Maurice. Maurice’s passion for the vines, the wines, and the village of Pernand-Vergelesses established a following for the family’s offerings. These early bottlings made it possible for the family to purchase additional vineyards, including an exceptional piece of land in Île des Vergelesses, arguably the most important Premier Cru in the village.

By the mid-1970s, Maurice’s son Rémi joined the family vineyard. As they planted more land (up to 10 hectares by 1980), they expanded their operation and—thanks to Rémi’s wife Agnès’s marketing prowess—their reach. They began construction on the family’s own winery in order to meet the growing demand for their exquisite wines in France and abroad. By the mid-1990s, all vines were being used to produce wines strictly under the family label. In 2003, Rémi’s son Simon, followed by his wife, Caroline, in 2009, represented the fourth generation to join the family business.

It was a chance meeting between two Sommeliers a world apart that brought Domaine Rollin to Manitoba. In the early 2000s, 529 Wellington Sommelier Christopher Sprague happened to cross paths with Burgundian Sommelier Cyril Blot. He spoke about the Domaine Rollin wines and their commitment to family and community with such passion that Christopher made a stop in Burgundy a priority the next time he was in France. His first of many visits to the winery was in 2008.

“What stays with me most after each visit to Domaine Rollin is that their hands are always dirty,” says Christopher. “They

Banville & Jones carries the following Domaine Rollin Père et Fils wines from Burgundy, France: Bourgogne 2017 Aligoté ($25.99); Les Cloux Chardonnay 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses ($79.99); Chardonnay 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses ($45.99); Chardonnay Grand Cru 2016 Coton-Charlemagne ($169.99); Pinot Noir Premier Cru 2014 Île des Vergelesses ($80.99); Les Fichots Premier Cru 2017 Pinot Noir Pernand-Vergelesses ($63.99); Pinot Noir 2017 PernandVergelesses ($45.99).

spend all their time invested in the terroir, the vines, the wines. They are less interested in the chachet of the wines than they are in highlighting what the village has to offer. They are, at their core, farmers who produce fruit that exemplifies what care and passion can put in a bottle.”

The Rollin family shows their passion for the land and its people in their sustainable practices: their commitment to respecting the natural balances of flora and fauna, soil integrity, and the well-being of the people who work the land and produce the wine. The winery has been certified sustainable by Terra Vitis, which sets social and environmental sustainability standards from vineyards to production in the French wine industry. This integrity results in truly special wines that offer an honest expression of both the land and the grapes.

The winery produces single-varietal wines that are synonymous with Burgundy’s pedigree—Pinot Noir and Chardonnay— along with a white wine featuring what Christopher describes as Burgundy’s “underdog grape,” Aligoté.

“These wines have a cellar-ability that is hard to believe when held up to the price tags associated with other famous vineyards of Burgundy,” says Christopher. “On a visit with Gary and Sylvia to Domaine Rollin, Maurice invited us into his private library of the wines. He very generously opened a 1990 Domaine Rollin Premier Cru Île des Vergelesses. As we sat there chatting, I took a sip. I could feel that wine take hold of my emotions, and I realized I was crying. It was such a special moment to be brought to tears by a wine so pure, elegant, and expressive.”

Each generation of the Rollin family has brought something special to the winery, but the family ethic of hard work and dedication to the terroir is what ultimately makes these classic Burgundian wines unforgettable. 

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