In the Glass —Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Les Cras 2010 Review

Alluring elegance with a firm character — generational winemaking craftsmanship

I began my wine journey with Chambolle-Musigny, a village in Burgundy, accompanying sommelier friends who spent hours probing and deciphering the development of a wine. While I wasn’t keenly aware of the exact flavors that night, I’ve always remembered the wine as “an alluring mademoiselle” — feminine, gentle, elegant. As the night progressed, it enchanted and captivated, revealing spices and passion, drawing you into its world. Now, three years later, after having tasted wines from various regions and producers, Chambolle-Musigny’s impeccable charm has lured me back, and I know I cannot escape.

Speaking of the greatest wine producers in Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine Roumier was the first name that came up, along with the amazing Leroy and Vogüé. While you may have seen brief family history excerpts on various wine websites, allow me to provide a quick refresher.

Founded in 1924 by Georges Roumier, Domaine Roumier initially acquired its land through Georges Roumier’s marriage to Genevieve Quanquin. At the time, Georges Roumier also served as the vineyard manager at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé (of course, all families are somehow interconnected in Burgundy). In 1945, he was the first to start bottling wines on-site to share with his family, a practice later adopted by others. To this day, when you read “mis en bouteille au domaine” (bottled at the domaine) on a wine bottle, you know it began with Domaine Roumier.

Today, Christophe Roumier, Georges Roumier’s grandson, oversees the Domaine’s winemaking, while his cousin Laurent Roumier inherited land and established his own domaine, which also holds holdings in the Bonne-Mare Grand Cru, offering excellent wines at more approachable prices.

Roumier wines have been sought after due to their small production, especially their renowned Grand Crus, with Bonne-Mare producing only around 1300 bottles per year. Among the Premier Crus, I chose Les Cras for two reasons:

First, its firm and structured style in a famously elegant village suits my taste. The southeast-facing vines receive ample sunlight, allowing the grapes to develop intense flavors and sugars. Meanwhile, cooling westerly winds result in grapes with both flavor and acidity. The soil, rich in dusty limestone and fossilized shells, similar to Bonne Mare but with higher clay content than Musigny, reflects minerality and moisture, contributing to Les Cras’ distinctiveness.

Second, considerations of economics came into play. Having already invested over $1k in the Roumier brand, I sought the best value within budget. Les Cras’ terroir, located adjacent to the famed Bonne-Mare Grand Cru with similar soil profiles, offered reasons to anticipate its quality and flavors. While Roumier’s best wines include Musigny Grand Cru, Bonne-Mare, and Les Amoureuses, their prices have soared in recent years (with an average Bonne-Mare fetching over $2k, and Les Amoureuses at least $4k), leaving me regretful for entering the wine world late.

As I made the more economical choice, opting for the phenomenal 2010 vintage (a cooler year resulting in elegant wines with racy acidity), I hoped it would rival Grand Crus in any reasonable year.

The wine eventually made it to a table at Le Coucou, a French restaurant in NYC, for a pre-Christmas celebration :) After decanting for 30 minutes, the classic Chambolle-style characters emerged — cherry, raspberry, wet forest floor, and fermented herbs. The wine was smooth and elegant, embodying everything I’ve missed in a Chambolle. Subtle oak, char, and a hint of smokiness lingered on the palate.

Initially, it felt like a young debutante, bright yet shy, lacking depth and substance. However, as the dinner progressed, its structure and complexity started to show. I could smell the forest around me — green moss, wet soil, mushrooms, cocoa. How would I describe it now? A thorny rose seemed fitting — elegant yet dangerous, full of youthful energy with hidden thrills.

I must stress again — you HAVE TO DRINK WITH FOOD! Everything evolves for the better with food. It’s simply surreal.

While the retail price of this wine is definitely not your everyday table wine, if you fancy a premier or Grands Cru Chambolle-Musigny, a value alternative could be Laurent Roumier’s Bonne-Mare Grand Cru or Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé’s Les Amoureuses, both are beyond excellent. But if this is THE village and style for you, it will probably be challenging to find another that exceeds Domaine Roumier.

As I sip on Christophe Roumier’s creation, I felt transported back to when his grandfather, Georges Roumier, made his first wines. What would they taste like then? Christophe recalled trying his grandfather’s wines bottled in 1920, remarking, “These are so close to perfection; I would like to do something like that one day.” He noted that “with very little means, and with no specific intentions, they were achieving perfect wines.”

Every bottle is a unique product of its place and time, expressing the nature of that vintage and the individuality of the craftsman. Whether from Georges Roumier in the 1920s or Christophe Roumier in the 2010s, all the wines bear bits of the winemakers. I wonder, with decades passing, what remarks would Christophe’s grandchildren make about his wines?

Basic Profile

Varietal: Red — Pinot Noir

Appellation: Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras, FR

Classification: 1er Cru

Vintage: 2010 (Excellent)

Winemaker: Christophe Roumier

Alcohol %: 13%

Score: 93

My Score: 5/7

Price: ~$1200 (750ml)