1969 Domaine Roumier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses

Domaine Roumier, of Chambolle Musigny, Burgundy, is owned and operated by Jean-Marie Roumier and his son Christophe. The estate’s 30 acres of vineyards are spread through nine appellations, including notable parcels in Bonnes Mares, Musigny, Corton-Charlemagne, Charmes-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny. Georges Roumier took over the domain in 1924 when he married into the family that owned it. He began making estate bottled wine in 1945. His son Jean-Marie began running the estate in 1953, and 1982 his son, Christophe, became a full partner in the domain. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Christophe Roumier has brought his family’s already famous domaine to a singular level of excellence though an exemplary application of intelligence, sensitivity, and hard work.”

Les Amoureuses is a Premier Cru vineyard in the Chambolle-Musigny appellation in Burgundy. The 13-5 acre vineyard lies down slope form the Grand Cru Le Musigny. Because of its excellent quality, Les Amoureuses is regarded more like a Grand Cru than a Premier Cru. The largest landholder is Robert Groffier et Fils, who owns nearly 3 acres. Clive Coates has written that “Les Amoureuses is really a sort of younger brother to Musigny itself; perfumed, silky smooth, intense and soft rather than brutal and muscular, and with real finesse.”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.