Domaine des Perdrix

History of Domaine des Perdrix

The history of Domaine des Perdrix is rooted in the great winegrowing and négociant tradition of the Devillard family. Key figures in the Burgundian wine world for five generations, the Devillards took up the craft of winemaking as early as 1934 with the purchase of a few plots in Mercurey, in the Côte Chalonnaise. For decades, however, their activity remained primarily oriented towards the négoce, under the house of Antonin Rodet. It was in 1996 that they took a decisive step by taking over Domaine des Perdrix, then little-known, in the very heart of the Côte de Nuits.

When the Devillard family took over the domaine, the vines were fully capable of expressing their potential, but significant work was needed to equip the estate with the best technologies and techniques. Reasoned vineyard management, limited yields, meticulous plot-by-plot work, constant monitoring of grape maturation, installation in a cooler cellar to allow for longer ageing with less-heated barrels: the enhancement of the terroirs was achieved through a rigorous pursuit of excellence. Numerous blind tastings raised Domaine des Perdrix to the rank of Burgundy's most essential estates. Robert Parker praised it, and Jancis Robinson, Wine Enthusiast and the Bettane et Desseauve guide have regularly recommended it. Today, Domaine des Perdrix represents the quintessence of what Burgundy can produce at its finest, through a unique expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine des Perdrix

The vineyard of Domaine des Perdrix extends over 15 hectares in the Côte de Nuits, more than half of which are classified as Premiers Crus and Grands Crus — an extremely rare configuration in Burgundy. The jewel of the domaine is undoubtedly the Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru "Aux Perdrix", which gives the estate its name: with 3.45 hectares representing 99% of the plot, the domaine farms almost all of it, constituting a near-monopoly. The vines were planted between 1922 and 1980, on clay-limestone soils that bring power, depth and a mineral signature to the wines.

To this treasure is added a 1.14-hectare plot in Échezeaux Grand Cru, a true rarity in a region that counts only 33 Grand Crus, as well as precious plots in Vosne-Romanée Village (and sometimes 1er Cru), Nuits-Saint-Georges Village and Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits. The average age of the vineyard is around 35 years, a guarantee of depth and complexity. The grape varieties are dominated by Pinot Noir, the king grape of the Côte de Nuits, complemented by a few rows of Chardonnay for the domain's rare white cuvées. Vineyard management is rigorously reasoned, with remarkable plot-by-plot work, low yields and manual harvesting. Maturities are optimal, an essential condition for producing refined and deep wines that are true to their terroir.

Vinifications of Domaine des Perdrix

In the cellar, the Devillard family applies a goldsmith's vinification, in the great Burgundian tradition. Harvesting is entirely manual, with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and at the winery. The grapes are destemmed according to the cuvée (up to 70% for Les 8 Ouvrées) or vinified as whole bunches, with a cold pre-fermentation maceration of 4 to 6 days to extract fruit aromas. Fermentations are carried out exclusively with the indigenous yeasts native to the grapes. A 15-day maceration follows, with gentle punch-downs and no pump-overs, in a logic of respecting the fruit and controlled extraction. At the end of fermentation, a post-fermentation maceration softens the tannins.

The press and free-run juices are meticulously separated and aged separately. Ageing takes place for 18 months in traditional Burgundian barrels (228 litres), with 50% new oak for the Les 8 Ouvrées cuvée and an adapted proportion for the other cuvées (generally 30 to 50% new wood). The domaine has chosen to house its cellars in a cooler chai, allowing for longer ageing with less-heated barrels, in keeping with the preservation of fruit and aromatic finesse. The result is a recognisable signature: powerful yet very refined wines with a deep and voluptuous texture on the palate, which rank among the finest contemporary expressions of Burgundian Pinot Noir.

The Cuvées of Domaine des Perdrix

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: the entry-level cuvée and ideal introduction to the world of the domaine. Produced from 100% Pinot Noir, with the same rigour as the estate's grand crus. Pale ruby colour, a fruity and floral nose with notes of cherry and raspberry, a fine and silky palate with a classic Burgundian signature. A sincere and accessible expression of Pinot Noir from Les Perdrix.

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits: a regional cuvée from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, produced from 100% Pinot Noir. Brilliant ruby colour, a nose of fresh red fruits and floral notes, a fresh and thirst-quenching palate. A gourmand cuvée that expresses the freshness of the higher slopes of the Côte de Nuits.

Bourgogne Chardonnay: a rare white cuvée from the domaine, produced from 100% Chardonnay. Pale golden colour, a floral and fruity nose (white flowers, green apple, citrus), a fresh and balanced palate with a mineral backbone. An elegant Burgundian white, in the precise signature of the house.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Village: the domaine's village cuvée, produced from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from several plots in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Deep ruby colour, an expressive nose of cherry, raspberry, spices and mineral notes, a structured and silky palate with well-integrated tannins. A classic expression of this great village of the Côte de Nuits.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Perdrix: the signature cuvée and jewel of the domaine, produced from the 3.45 hectares of the Aux Perdrix plot held in near-monopoly (99%). 100% Pinot Noir from vines planted between 1922 and 1980. Deep ruby colour, a complex nose of dark fruits, flowers, spices and undergrowth, a deep and silky palate with a noble tannic structure and a long finish. An exceptional Premier Cru, built for long ageing.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les 8 Ouvrées: a rare cuvée and homage to History, produced from the oldest vines of the Premier Cru Aux Perdrix, planted in 1922 over 8 ouvrées (an ouvrée being the old unit of measurement equivalent to 4.28 ares, the surface area a winegrower could plough in a single day). 100% Pinot Noir, vinified as whole bunches with cold pre-fermentation maceration, aged 18 months in traditional Burgundian barrels of which 50% are new. Deep red colour almost purple, a seductive bouquet of black cherry, blackcurrant, spices and undergrowth, a dense and velvety palate with great ageing capacity (up to 20 years).

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Perdrix Blanc: an extremely rare cuvée, produced from a few rows of Chardonnay planted on the Aux Perdrix plot. A true rarity in the Côte de Nuits, where white Premier Crus are exceptional. Pale golden colour, a complex nose of white flowers and yellow fruits, a taut and deep palate with the mineral signature typical of this great terroir.

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

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Réas: a single-plot cuvée from the Premier Cru of Vosne-Romanée, produced in certain vintages from the Aux Réas plot. Deep colour, a complex nose, a dense and refined palate with great ageing potential. An exceptional Premier Cru from Vosne-Romanée that completes the mosaic of the domaine's great terroirs.

Échezeaux Grand Cru: a prestigious cuvée and one of the absolute flagship wines of the domaine, produced from the 1.14 hectares in Échezeaux Grand Cru. 100% Pinot Noir, vinified and aged with the greatest care, 18 months in Burgundian barrels. Deep ruby colour with purple hues, a complex and bewitching nose of ripe dark fruits, flowers, spices, undergrowth and truffle, a dense and velvety palate with a silky tannic structure and an endless finish. An exceptional Grand Cru, built for 20 to 30 years of ageing.