Before national lockdowns and travel restrictions tightened, our Head of Fine Wine Lukasz Kolodziejczyk managed to spend a few weeks in Burgundy last year and is one of a small group of professionals to have firsthand and on field experience of the vintage. Over the coming weeks we will be releasing producer spotlights and highlights from Lukasz’s trip to the Cote d’Or. This is the ninth profile of our Burgundy spotlight series featuring Domaine Perrot-Minot.
Domaine Perrot-Minot - Burgundy 2019 En Primeur Producer Profile
Perrot-Minot is one of the hottest addresses in the Côte d’Or. Although its history stretches back more than 130 years, Perrot-Minot’s recent vintages have enjoyed especially high praise as leading critics doled out big scores and effusive tasting notes.
This enthusiasm largely stems from the work of Christophe Perrot-Minot, who took on the reins in 1993, becoming the fourth generation of the family to produce wine at the estate. Christophe practices organic farming and keeps intervention to a minimum in order to express the unique qualities of the domaine’s vineyards that cover 19 appellations. After a careful manual harvest, double sorting of the grapes (once in the vineyard and once in the winery) and a portion of whole bunches promotes freshness in the wines.
“The darling of the Francophone wine press, Christophe Perrot-Minot, continues his evolution in the direction of textural finesse and aromatic range: the extraction and richness of yesteryear have given way to melting tannins and ethereal aromas, exemplified by a beautiful set of 2019s.” – William Kelley, Wine Advocate.
Many Perrot-Minot 2019s are finding their way into the top echelons of critics’ scores. Both the Chambertin Clos de Beze Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru and the Mazoyeres-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru were among Jancis Robinson’s top wines this year with scores of 18.5. Her tasting note described the Mazoyeres-Chambertin as “Very rich and sumptuous but lots of minerality too. Really very special. Bristles with life! Saline.”
Neal Martin (Vinous) came away impressed by the Chambertin Grand Cru, giving it a 95-97 point score: “The 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru boasts enthralling precision and detail on the nose with exuberant black cherry and wild strawberry fruit, a fine sense of mineralité and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very harmonious and expansive in the mouth with a very spicy finish thanks to a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper. What a lovely Chambertin!”
Perrot-Minot wines typically generate high demand and see healthy liquidity. However, average prices for the new releases remain noticeably lower than many of the wines from producers in similar categories. For example, Perrot-Minot’s 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru’s UK release price is £990, whereas the Chambertin from Dugat Py (which we also classified as a Tier 1 producer in our Burgundy En Primeur Report) was released at £1,980.
Looking at wines from our highest “iconic producer” category, we find similar or even larger spreads - Domaine Armand Rousseau and Dujac Chambertin Grand Crus were released at £2,221 and £1,758, respectively. These price gaps represent a compelling opportunity, and the rave reviews for this year’s Perrot-Minot wines should only boost their performance potential.
Cult Wines’ opinion:
Our head of Fine Wine Lukasz Kolodziejczyk agrees that Perrot-Minot 2019 wines deserve high praise. He noted their overall ripe flavours balanced by mineral freshness which will ensure a long lifetime. Average yields in 2019 are 18 hectolitres/hectare. Lukasz singled out Gevrey-Chambertin as the standout appellation in 2019 but also named Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru Richemone Ultra 2019 as one of the vintage’s highlights.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Bourgogne Rouge 2019 90 points
Flavours of crunchy berries, violets, and red cherries alongside a spicy core. Despite its ripeness, the wine is delicate, refined and fresh.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Morey-St-Denis, En la Rue de Vergy 2019 90-92 points
Raspberries and plums are refreshed by a lively mineral core with notes of smoke and wildflowers. The juicy and invigorating palate is lasting and lifted.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Chambolle-Musigny 2019 93 points
This is a great expression of Chambolle Musigny - floral and fine with spiced cherries, beetroot and raspberries. The palate is spicy, leaving you with a fresh, lasting flavour of raspberries.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Vosne - Romanée, Champs Perdrix 2019 93-94 points
The aromas are fragrant and fine with ripe red berries, rhubarb, black cherries, citrus zest enhanced by a lively racy core. The well-integrated palate is deep, intense but still fresh.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Gevrey- Chambertin 2019 93-94 points
Bright ruby with an earthy perfume supported by the mineral freshness with red plum and spices. Lovely, pure and deep.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Nuits-St-Georges, Murgers de Cras 2019 94 points
Dense and chewy with a fresh core flavoured with spicy red berries. This wine is pure and precise with balanced weight that delivers a mineral finish which is juicy and satisfying.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Richemone Ultra 2019 96-97 points
An expressive and exciting perfume that mixes spices with wildflowers, crushed rocks, and rhubarb. The palate is lifted and spicy with a firm core of mineral freshness delivering a long, yet weightless, finish.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveaux Ultra 2019 95 points
Aromas of fragrant citrus zest, fresh flowers and rocks alongside a smoky herbal tapenade, tea leaves and black fruits. The palate is lean, spicy and fresh with bright, refreshing energy. In comparison to previous wines, this one feels finer but not as profound.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 94-95 points
Raspberries and red cherries with crushed herbs and flowers stones and turned earth. The palate is silky and round with mineral intensity and precision. This is a sexy and feminine style of Charmes.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 96 points
Floral and lifted aromas are full of spicy red cherries and red pepper. The palate is concentrated with a freshness supported by silky tannins and a great interplay between the initial attack, mid-palate and ending. Great depth and intensity here.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 97-98 points
Aromas of blueberries and red berries mix with fresh herbs, crushed flowers and minerals. The palate is concentrated but really fresh and zingy with a long flavours similar to the nose, but seasoned by citrus zest and Assam tea. Great effort, only time will tell if this is a new benchmark.
Domaine Perrot-Minot, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2019 98+ points
A more fragrant and pleasing nose with strong impressions of red fruit infused with damp soil, fresh flowers, smoke and touch of vanilla. In comparison to Chambertin, it feels softer, rounder and more immediate with a more delicate structure that should be equally as lasting.
5-year average prices and returns
