Rapet

History of Domaine Rapet Père et Fils

The Rapet family carefully preserves a silver tastevin dated 1765 and engraved with the family name, tangible evidence of its roots in Pernand-Vergelesses stretching back more than two and a half centuries. Passed down through generations, it places the Rapets among the oldest documented winegrowing families in the entire Côte d’Or. Over the centuries, the estate has expanded in measured stages, each generation patiently adding parcels not only in Pernand but also in Aloxe-Corton, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune and Beaune.

After Robert and then Roland Rapet, Vincent Rapet took the reins of the property, supported by his wife Sylvette, and shaped it into what it is today. Their son Robin has since joined them, continuing an unbroken family line. Vincent Rapet modernized production without turning his back on tradition: the historic winery walls now house a modern winemaking facility, the result of investments in new equipment and mechanized soil cultivation in the Burgundian tradition, including earthing up, plowing away soil from the vines and cultivating between rows. In 2018, the estate earned level 3 Haute Valeur Environnementale certification, the most demanding level, following extensive work on biodiversity, halving fertilizer inputs and streamlining crop protection. Alongside Domaine Bonneau du Martray, the Rapet family now holds one of the finest vineyard holdings in Pernand-Vergelesses.

Terroirs and vineyards of Domaine Rapet Père et Fils

The village of Pernand-Vergelesses, nestled in a peaceful green valley at the foot of the Corton hill, accounts for nearly 80% of the estate’s vineyards. At the meeting point of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, it has varied exposures and relatively lean clay-limestone soils rich in scree, producing taut whites and beautifully fresh reds. The vineyard sites cultivated here are numerous and complementary: Devant les Cloux and Les Combottes for village-level whites, Belles Filles for a village-level red, followed by the premiers crus Clos du Village, En Caradeux, Sous Frétille, Les Vergelesses and Ile de Vergelesses, the last of which is considered the appellation’s finest red-wine terroir.

On the Corton hill, the estate owns 2.5 hectares of Corton-Charlemagne, one of the Côte de Beaune’s greatest white wines, where white marl gives Chardonnay its legendary minerality, as well as parcels in Corton Grand Cru and Corton Pougets for reds. In Beaune, four premiers crus complete the mosaic: Bressandes, Les Cents Vignes, Clos du Roi and Grèves. Savigny-lès-Beaune contributes the premier cru Aux Fourneaux and a village-level cuvée, while Chorey-lès-Beaune and Aloxe-Corton broaden the range further. The grape varieties are exclusively Burgundian: Chardonnay and Aligoté for the whites, Pinot Noir for the reds. Vineyard management relies on mechanized plowing, a detailed assessment of biodiversity and carefully managed fertilization tailored to each parcel.

Winemaking at Domaine Rapet Père et Fils

Vincent Rapet favors minimal intervention in the cellar and focuses most of his attention on obtaining perfectly healthy grapes. For the reds, the aim is to reveal Pinot Noir’s expressive aromas without ever overdoing it: cold pre-fermentation maceration precedes fermentation, punch-downs are moderate and extraction is gentle. The winemaker rejects over-extracted or overly heavy wines, preferring the appeal of fruit to a show of power.

The white grapes are pressed slowly, then fermented and aged in barrels, with a measured proportion of new oak adjusted to the standing of each cru to preserve the Chardonnay’s minerality. Aging generally continues for twelve to eighteen months on fine lees in the estate’s cellars. The modern winemaking facility housed within the historic winery walls allows precise control of temperatures and volumes. The result is a range of wines that are somewhat reserved in their youth but gain elegance after a few years in the cellar and age admirably, even in vintages considered less favorable.

The cuvées of Domaine Rapet Père et Fils

Bourgogne Aligoté opens the white wine range with a lively, crisp wine showing lemon and green apple notes and a refreshing salinity that makes it an ideal match for seafood. Pernand-Vergelesses Devant les Cloux is a precise, floral village-level Chardonnay, with hawthorn and citrus notes and a chalky finish. Pernand-Vergelesses Les Combottes, another single-parcel white cuvée, is fuller and rounder, with ripe white fruit and fresh hazelnut notes, while retaining the appellation’s characteristic tension.

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Clos du Village, located at the edge of the village, offers dense substance and impressive mineral depth, with finely integrated oak. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeux, grown on a sunlit slope, develops notes of candied citrus and acacia honey, with a taut palate that benefits greatly from five or six years in the cellar. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Sous Frétille, situated high on the slope below the statue of the Virgin Mary, is perhaps the most focused of the estate’s whites: sleek and saline, with crystalline purity and remarkable length. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru crowns the range with a wine of great distinction, sourced from 2.5 hectares on the hill’s white marl soils: restrained power, aromas of white flowers, browned butter and flint, a generous texture and a spectacular saline finish that fully unfolds after about a decade.

Among the reds, Bourgogne En Bully leads the way with an appealing, crisp Pinot Noir showing cherry and raspberry notes, supple tannins and immediate drinkability. Pernand-Vergelesses Belles Filles expresses the village’s freshness through floral and spicy notes, with a fine structure and an easy-drinking character. Chorey-lès-Beaune is round and fruity, with immediate appeal, while village-level Savigny-lès-Beaune strikes a livelier note, marked by tart red fruit and a hint of minerality.

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Fourneaux offers greater structure and depth, with black fruit, licorice and a firm tannic foundation that calls for a few years of patience. In Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes combines elegance and substance, with vibrant red fruit and silky tannins. Beaune 1er Cru Les Cents Vignes stands out for its aromatic finesse and freshness, with sour cherry and sweet spice notes. Beaune 1er Cru Clos du Roi shows more density and poise, with a tightly knit structure and a mineral finish. Beaune 1er Cru Grèves, one of the appellation’s finest vineyard sites, offers remarkable definition, pure fruit and a velvety texture, making it one of the estate’s greatest successes.

Village-level Aloxe-Corton expresses the hill’s characteristic sun-soaked power, with generous black fruit and a solid structure. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses offers a fine, fragrant Pinot Noir with violet and cherry notes and remarkable freshness. Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile de Vergelesses, considered the pinnacle of the appellation’s reds, adds depth, spicy complexity and a long saline finish that rivals many neighboring grands crus.

Corton Grand Cru is the estate’s most commanding red: deep color, a bouquet of black fruit, leather and forest floor, dense substance and firm yet refined tannins, with aging potential of twenty to thirty years. Finally, Corton Pougets Grand Cru, from a rare, little-known vineyard site on the hill’s southwest slope, stands out for its more ethereal elegance, crystalline red fruit, pronounced minerality and an exceptionally persistent finish.