2015 Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Île des Vergelesses, Cote de Beaune

This is a stunning, limestone-rich vineyard, relatively high up on the slope, atop Les Vergelesses, and directly facing the hill of Corton. The cool east-by-northeast exposure means that this vineyard is often picked quite late in the harvest, and it produces a wine with great depth of fruit yet equally with an intense minerality (in both white and red). The Domaine consider this to be “Grand Cru quality” and the wines often back this up. This vineyard is also home to some of the oldest vines of the Domaine, planted in 1938.

The 2015 is a really deep and profound expression of this wine with waves of dark cherry and cocoa powder fruit and an opulent texture moderated by the powdery tannins. There were 40% whole bunches used.

‘A wonderfully fresh if somewhat reticent nose grudgingly offers up very ripe notes of dark currant, earth and a pretty range of floral elements. There is once again outstanding richness to the full-bodied, muscular and relatively powerful flavours that culminate in a noticeably warm and structured finale.’

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com