Pernand 1er Cru "Île des Vergelesses" La vie est Belle ungeschwefelt sans soufre ajoute 2018
A rare Pinot Blanc orange wine from Burgundy – sulphur-free, spontaneously fermented and full of tension between tea-like tannins, roasted aromas and orange fruit.
75,01 €100,01 € / l
Incl. VAT where applicable
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Scents of fresh braided yeast bread with icing, croissant with orange marmalade, roasted hazelnuts and salted butter; accompanied by sage, lemon balm and bitter orange zest.
Palate
Fine-grained, stimulating tannins reminiscent of a cup of Darjeeling, silky texture with an invigorating astringency; delicate roasted notes of dark toast with salted butter and orange marmalade.
Character
An idiosyncratic, structured natural wine with tea-like tannin structure and age-worthy depth – Burgundian elegance in an unconventional orange wine guise.
Pairing
Focaccia with green olives, almonds and orange zest; red mullet on the scale in rockfish fumet with sage and orange aroma; spicy roast chicken.
Notes
The vines were planted by François de Nicolay’s grandfather; the Pinot Blanc is made as an orange wine with extended skin contact, spontaneous fermentation and lees ageing – unfined and bottled entirely without added sulphur. The Demeter-certified estate cultivates its 14 hectares entirely by horse, making it the only Burgundian domaine to do so.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
Pale orange with a silky matte haze – a wine that announces in the glass that someone here is thoughtfully stretching the rules of Burgundy.
Nose
Fresh braided yeast bread with a light sugar glaze, croissants with orange marmalade, roasted hazelnut pieces and salted butter. Alongside this, herbal notes of sage, lemon balm and bitter orange zest – like a morning stroll past the bakery, except this aroma rises from the glass.
Palate
Fine-grained, persistent tannins – as invigorating as a hot cup of Darjeeling. Silky, with an enlivening astringency, they coat the palate entirely and lead the aromatic profile as well. Delicate roasted notes recall salted butter on dark toast, with the orange marmalade close at hand.
Finish
The tannin structure carries the wine far, with salty-roasted tones and orange fruit lingering long. A finale that evokes a structured red wine rather than a classic white Burgundy.
Terroir & Origin
Île des Vergelesses is regarded as the finest vineyard site in Pernand-Vergelesses, at the foot of the Corton hill. Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-lès-Beaune farms just under 14 hectares across twelve crus – the only estate in Burgundy ploughed entirely by horse. The cellar dates back to the 12th century, built by Cistercian monks from the Abbey of Cîteaux.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Pinot Blanc – the sole exception in a portfolio otherwise planted exclusively with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vines were planted by François de Nicolay’s grandfather. For François, for whom Chardonnay is the benchmark for all white wines, the Pinot Blanc was simply made as an orange wine: spontaneous fermentation after extended skin contact, maturation on the lees, unfined and bottled without added sulphur.
Food Pairings
Focaccia with green olives, almonds, rosemary and orange zest mirrors the herbal-citrus aromatics. Pan-seared red mullet on the scale in rockfish fumet with sage and orange finds an equal partner in the tannin structure. Spicy roast chicken tempers the astringency and allows the fruit to shine.
Special Features
An orange wine from a Premier Cru vineyard in the heart of Burgundy – that alone makes a statement. Demeter-certified since 2011, the domaine is among the pioneers of sulphur-free bottling in the region. William Kelley of the Wine Advocate notes that the wines fully express the potential of their terroirs. This wine proves that Pinot Blanc, too, can achieve greatness on the Corton hill – if given the chance.
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