Description
Domaine Darviot-Perrin, Meursault 1er Cru “Charmes”
Considered one of the linchpins of premium Burgundy, one would think the Darviot-Perrin name stretched for centuries. However, Didier Darviot didn’t release his first commercial vintage until 1989. So why, then, is there so much buzz around the domaine? Because Didier learned his craft alongside his legendary father-in-law, Pierre Perrin, who also bestowed upon him a trove of old heirloom vines throughout the Côte de Beaune. It did not take long to make a name for himself, and by the 21st century, the wines were on the radar of every Burgundy insider. After retiring in 2017, Didier searched high and low for a successor and two years later, he landed on one that was close to home—his son, Pierre-Antonin, who left his own career to carry on the family business. In that short time, he’s transitioned into full-on biodynamics.
Everyone who’s moderately involved in the Burgundy game knows about Meursault’s Premier Cru Charmes: It’s the village’s largest 1er Cru and, as such, it neighbors a number of highly-touted sites like “Perrières” directly upslope, “Genevrières” to its north, and “Combettes” (in Puligny-Montrachet) on the southern border. Darviot-Perrin’s 0.31-hectare sliver here, first planted in the 1960s, lies in the higher-lying portion of Charmes, known as Charmes-Dessus.
The grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermented using ambient yeasts, and the resulting wine is aged in 25% new Allier oak barrels for 12 months. This is followed by six additional months in stainless steel tank before the wines are bottled. Generally, no more than 150 cases are produced. Here’s Burghound’s take on the 2017: “A more elegant and much more complex nose combines notes of hazelnut, acacia blossom, white peach, and freshly sliced lemon. There is excellent intensity to the beautifully well-detailed medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the dry, clean, and focused finish shaped by a firm acid spine that should enable this to age gracefully over the next decade, perhaps even a bit longer.” If enjoying sooner, decant for no less than 60 minutes and serve in large Burgundy stems around 50-55 degrees.
