Domaine Darviot-Perrin Genevrieres 1er Cru Meursault 2016

Didier and daughter Alix Anne Darviot are quintessential vignerons; a tightly knit team that oversees every phase of the wine making process from pruning and plowing to racking the casks and bottling on their own premises. Didier learned the trade from his father-in-law Pierre Perrin who was a legendary figure in the wine making echelons of Meursault and Volnay.

The first commercial bottling was a handful of cases of the 1989 vintage. The estate today spans 11 hectares and is internationally considered one of the finest sources of red & white Burgundy. In 2001, a family succession brought a prime half-hectare plot of 1er Cru Meursault Genèvrieres to round out the range of exquisite Meursault vineyards. The other jewels in the crown are the Blanchots-Dessus 1er Cru in Chassagne – literally under Montrachet and the Volnay Les Blanches and 1er Crus Gigotte and Santenots.

It is an emphasis on the work in the vineyard which makes the difference at Darviot-Perrin. The vineyards are tended virtually organically which is just a small part of making fine Burgundy. The vital element is bringing healthy, ripe grapes to the presses and vats. Vinification is important, but cannot replace impeccable fruit from the vineyard. “Minimal intervention” is the watchword in the cellar, which is naturally cold and moist. Malolactic fermentations frequently take almost a year to complete, enhancing the complexity and quality of the wines.

Annual Production: 2,500 bottles

Tasting Notes: Pale gold color. The bouquet has notes of ripe peach and apricot. On the palate, this wine is broad and rich with huge power, and a long, caramel, and brûléed peach finish.