Domaine des Perdrix

History of Domaine des Perdrix

The history of Domaine des Perdrix is rooted in the Devillard family’s long tradition of winegrowing and wine trading. A prominent presence in Burgundy wine for five generations, the Devillards took up winegrowing in 1934 with the purchase of a few plots in Mercurey, in the Côte Chalonnaise. For decades, however, their business remained focused primarily on wine trading under the Antonin Rodet house. In 1996, they took a decisive step by acquiring the then little-known Domaine des Perdrix in the heart of the Côte de Nuits.

When the Devillard family took over the estate, the vines were ready to express their potential, but substantial work was needed to equip the property with the best technology and techniques. Thoughtful vineyard management, limited yields, meticulous work in each plot, constant monitoring of grape ripeness and a move to a cooler cellar for longer aging in less heavily toasted barrels: bringing out the best in the terroirs required a rigorous pursuit of excellence. Numerous blind tastings have established Domaine des Perdrix as one of Burgundy’s essential estates. Robert Parker has praised it, while Jancis Robinson, Wine Enthusiast and the Bettane and Desseauve guide have regularly recommended it. Today, Domaine des Perdrix represents the very best Burgundy has to offer through its unique expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Terroirs and vineyards of Domaine des Perdrix

The Domaine des Perdrix vineyard covers 15 hectares in the Côte de Nuits, more than half of them classified as Premiers Crus or Grands Crus—an exceptionally rare configuration in Burgundy. The estate’s jewel is undoubtedly the Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Aux Perdrix,” from which the property takes its name. With 3.45 hectares representing 99% of the plot, the estate farms almost all of it, making this a near-monopoly. The vines were planted between 1922 and 1980 in clay-limestone soils that lend the wines power, depth and a distinctive mineral character.

This treasure is joined by a 1.14-hectare plot in Échezeaux Grand Cru, a true rarity in a region with just 33 Grands Crus, as well as prized plots in Vosne-Romanée Village (and sometimes 1er Cru), Nuits-Saint-Georges Village and Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits. The vines are around 35 years old on average, contributing depth and complexity. Plantings are dominated by Pinot Noir, the signature grape of the Côte de Nuits, complemented by a few rows of Chardonnay for the estate’s rare white cuvées. Vineyard management is rigorously considered, with meticulous work in each plot, low yields and hand harvesting. The grapes reach optimal ripeness, essential to producing distinguished, profound wines true to their terroir.

Winemaking at Domaine des Perdrix

In the cellar, the Devillard family takes a meticulous approach to winemaking in the great Burgundy tradition. All grapes are harvested by hand and rigorously sorted in the vineyard and at the winery. Depending on the cuvée, the grapes are destemmed (up to 70% for Les 8 Ouvrées) or vinified as whole clusters, with 4 to 6 days of cold pre-fermentation maceration to extract fruit aromas. Fermentation uses only the grapes’ native yeasts. This is followed by 15 days of maceration with gentle punch-downs and no pump-overs, respecting the grapes while controlling extraction. At the end of fermentation, post-fermentation maceration softens the tannins.

Press wine and free-run wine are meticulously separated and aged separately. Aging lasts 18 months in traditional Burgundy barrels (228 liters), with 50% new barrels for the Les 8 Ouvrées cuvée and a proportion tailored to the other cuvées (generally 30–50% new oak). The estate chose to establish its winery in a cooler cellar, allowing longer aging in less heavily toasted barrels while preserving the fruit and aromatic finesse. The result is a recognizable signature: powerful yet remarkably refined wines with a deep, voluptuous palate, among the finest contemporary expressions of Burgundian Pinot Noir.

The cuvées of Domaine des Perdrix

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: an entry-level cuvée and the ideal introduction to the estate’s wines. Made from 100% Pinot Noir with the same rigor as the property’s grands crus. Light ruby color, a fruity, floral nose with notes of cherry and raspberry, and a fine, silky palate with classic Burgundian character. An honest, approachable expression of Pinot Noir from Domaine des Perdrix.

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits: a regional cuvée from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, made from 100% Pinot Noir. Brilliant ruby color, a nose of fresh red fruit and floral notes, and a fresh, thirst-quenching palate. An inviting cuvée that expresses the freshness of the Côte de Nuits hillsides.

Bourgogne Chardonnay: a rare white cuvée from the estate, made from 100% Chardonnay. Pale gold in color, with a floral and fruity nose of white flowers, green apple and citrus, and a fresh, balanced palate with a mineral backbone. An elegant white Burgundy in the house’s precise style.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Village: the estate’s village-level cuvée, made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in several Nuits-Saint-Georges plots. Deep ruby color, an expressive nose of cherry, raspberry, spices and mineral notes, and a structured, silky palate with integrated tannins. A classic expression of this great Côte de Nuits village.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Perdrix: the estate’s signature cuvée and jewel, made from the 3.45-hectare Aux Perdrix plot held as a near-monopoly (99%). Made from 100% Pinot Noir grown on vines planted between 1922 and 1980. Deep ruby color, a complex nose of black fruit, flowers, spices and woodland, and a deep, silky palate with a refined tannic structure and long finish. An exceptional Premier Cru built for long-term aging.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les 8 Ouvrées: a rare cuvée and a tribute to history, made from the oldest vines in the Premier Cru Aux Perdrix, planted in 1922 across 8 ouvrées (an ouvrée is an old unit of area equal to 4.28 ares, the area a winegrower could plow in a day). Made from 100% Pinot Noir, vinified with whole clusters and cold pre-fermentation maceration, then aged for 18 months in traditional Burgundy barrels, 50% of them new. Deep red, almost purple in color, with an enticing bouquet of black cherry, blackcurrant, spices and woodland, and a dense, velvety palate with excellent aging potential (up to 20 years).

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Perdrix Blanc: an exceptionally rare cuvée made from a few rows of Chardonnay planted in the Aux Perdrix plot. A true rarity in the Côte de Nuits, where white Premier Cru wines are exceptional. Pale gold in color, with a complex nose of white flowers and yellow fruit and a taut, deep palate bearing the mineral signature of this great terroir.

Vosne-Romanée Village: a village-level cuvée from the Vosne-Romanée appellation, made from 100% Pinot Noir. Brilliant ruby color, a deep nose of red fruit, flowers and spices, and a silky, airy palate typical of this great Côte de Nuits village. An elegant expression of Vosne-Romanée from Domaine des Perdrix.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Réas: a single-plot Premier Cru cuvée from Vosne-Romanée, made in certain vintages from the Aux Réas plot. Deep color, a complex nose and a dense, refined palate with excellent aging potential. An exceptional Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru that adds to the mosaic of the estate’s great terroirs.

Échezeaux Grand Cru: a prestigious cuvée and one of the estate’s finest wines, made from its 1.14 hectares in Échezeaux Grand Cru. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, vinified and aged with the utmost care for 18 months in Burgundy barrels. Deep ruby color with purple highlights, a complex, captivating nose of ripe black fruit, flowers, spices, woodland and truffle, and a dense, velvety palate with silky tannins and an exceptionally long finish. An outstanding Grand Cru built to age for 20 to 30 years.