Jayer & Rouget change US importer for first time in 30 years

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The wines of Domaines Emmanuel Rouget and Georges Jayer in Vosne-Romanée – those previously vinified by the late Henri Jayer – have found new representation in the US.

After 32 continuous years in the Martine’s Wines portfolio, the estates have named San Francisco-based DNS Wines their official importer.

That’s no small gain for the young import company. The wines come with a legendary and influential history and are considered among the most elegant produced in the Côte d’Or.

Jayer’s Richebourg rivals DRC as one of the world’s most expensive wines, followed closely by Cros Parantoux – from a one-hectare climat that Henri Jayer himself cleared from brush to plant to vines in 1953.

Decanter Review: Domaine Emmanuel Rouget, Cros Parantoux 1er Cru

Since Jayer’s retirement in 1991 (and subsequent death in 2006), his nephew and protégé Emmanuel Rouget had been responsible for producing the wine from the Jayer family vines.

A new generation is now at the helm, Rouget’s son Guillaume having taken over as winemaker from the 2011 vintage. His other son, Nicolas, has been the acting chef de culture since 2008.

DNS Wines was co-founded in 2013 by Nina Scherotter and Todd Mathis and has quickly grown into a trusted grower-centric portfolio. Its two major focuses are boutique estates from France – notably Burgundy and the Rhône Valley – and quality-driven Greek selections through collaboration with New York-based Dionysi Grevenitis.

‘We had been considering making the change for several years,’ Guillaume Rouget told Decanter.com, citing the family’s longstanding relationship with Nina Scherotter among several reasons.

This February, the young Rouget has planned a market visit to the U.S. – a first for the family estates in over a generation – and will conduct intimate trade tastings in major cities, including New York and San Francisco.

‘It’s not a matter of selling more wines, since we’re working with a limited production,’ Guillaume Rouget said. ‘We really want to see how the market functions, meet the principal actors, and become more involved.’