1999 Nuits-St Georges, Aux Perdrix, 1er Cru, Domaine des Perdrix, Burgundy

Domaine des Perdrix

Domaine des Perdrix which is located in Premeaux-Prissey has recently been bought by Bertrand Devillard who is the director of Mercurey-based négociants Antonin Rodet. There are 12 hectares of vines in Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-St-Georges and Echézeaux, including the 3.5 hectare monopole Les Perdrix. Bertrand Devillard and his children Amaury and Aurore took back control of the Domaine des Perdrix in Prémeaux in 1996. The heart of the holding is the monopoly of Aux Perdrix, from which, since 2006, a ‘super-cuvée’ called Les 8 Ouvrées has also been produced, coming from a plot of ancient vines, planted at 13,000 vines per hectare, in 1922.

The grapes are destemmed, allowed a cool pre-fermentation maceration, after which the temperature is monitored so as not to exceed 32°, with punching down rather than pumping over. Afterwards the wines are matured in barrel, with about 50-60% new wood, for 12 to 18 months without racking.
 
The Devillards also own the Château de Chamirey in Mercurey, Domaine de la Ferté and Clos du Cellier aux Moines in Givry and now Domaine de la Garenne based in Azé in the Mâconnais.

Domaine des Perdrix produces full-bodied wines that are packed with ripe, spicy, black fruits yet retain a natural Vosne elegance. Until recently they very rarely left French shores but now they are attracting attention in the US. Buy while you still can!

Jasper Morris MW, author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.

Nuits-Saint Georges

Originally known as Nuits, or even Nuits-sous-Beaune, the town was happy to add the name of its finest vineyard, Les St Georges, in the 19th century.  There are no Grands Crus, but many fine Premier Cru vineyards, the mayor of the time – Henri Gouges – preferring not to single out any vineyard for the highest status.

• 175 hectares of village Nuits-St Georges
• 143 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (20 in all). Best vineyards include Les St Georges, and Clos des Argillières and Clos de la Maréchale in Prémeaux
• Recommended producers:  Gouges, Rion, Liger Belair, Potel
• Recommended restaurant : La Cabotte (small but stylish)

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.