Tasted with Robin Rapet in Pernand-Vegelesses, 03 July 2023.

Domaine Rapet Père & Fils
2 Pl. de la Mairie
21420 Pernand-Vergelesses
Tel: +33 3 80 21 59 94

The offices of Domaine Rapet are across from Pernand’s church at the core of Pernand-Vergelesses. Their new cuverie – since 2003 – built into the mother rock, sits at the edge of the village, looking directly onto the hill of Corton.

This is a domaine of 24 hectares and many generations of Rapets. It’s not sure how many generations, but they have an old tastevin (tasting cup) that bears their name – and it dates from 1765. In recent years, people will be familiar with Vincent Rapet, but son Robin has also been working at the domaine since 2021. The domaine has 24 cuvées, 10 of which are white as some of them are large – for instance, 3 hectares for their Combottes.

Robin on 2022:
“With 2022 we are very happy. We had 60mm of rain in June which, with another small episode in August, helped us to get through to the harvest without too much stress, given the heat and dry conditions. It was some compensation after the small 2021 vintage – 2/3rds less white and half red the normal amount of red. We have 13 hectares of red here but it’s lower yielding than white so it’s normally about the same volume for both. The malos were fast here in 2022. I think the whites are richer than the reds but less rich when compared to 2020. We are more classically red-fruited in 22 vs the darker fruits of 2020 – I think much more balanced too.”

The wines….

A first visit for me to taste the range – I visited once before with some ex-stageurs. That’s a super range of wines – all with class – and a couple of the reds are worth an investment of your time to make special search…

First, les whites:
The first wave of bottling – those racked – will be after the holiday in August. The second will, most likely, be in November.

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses Combottes
Lots of sources here with plenty of clay in these soils.
Ooh, that’s a waft of inviting aroma – lots of white flowers too. Mouth-filling with lots of energy, juicy wine and completely delicious – full but with plenty of energy to balance

2022 Beaune Clos des Champimonts
Like the last, racked last week. Part of an old quarry here. No new oak, there was about 10% in the last – this instead with 20% concrete egg containers.
The last drops in this glass are beautifully pure. Rounder în the mouth with a touch more exotic fruit aroma. Nicely direct, full of flavour – though just 10 yo vines – finishing wide and with a good mineral vibration. That’s lovely finishing.

They have a little Beaune 1er Bressandes white too – but only one barrel …

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeux
Opposite Charlemagne next to the restaurant of that name.
Here is a more powerful width of aroma, a little stony too. In the mouth we see something of the same; starting direct but its weight and small vibration of energy fill the mouth in a way that brings extra richness – certainly extra in this finish. Impressive, but today I’d be reaching for the villages PV whilst waiting for this.

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Sous Frétille
40cm of soil here for these 1950s vines
A completely different nose; silkier, almost cushioned, with yellow fruit and flowers. More direct and intense, this a wine with a certain tension before a finishing burst of flavour that brings much interest.

2022 Corton-Charlemagne
1945 and 1950 – the oldest vines of the domaine
A more fluid, airy but complex and deep nose. A sizzling energy to this, mineral, structural wine. Then you take the next step into a broad and very fine finish – just a hint of barrel creeps into the flavours here but it merely adds a little sweetness and width. Simply super wine!

Les reds:

2022 Bourgogne
Beyond the hill of Corton – almost Hautes Côtes. This is completely destemmed whereas most of the other reds are 25% wc.
Hmm – that’s a beautiful nose – very perfumed. Fine, open, easy but deliciously complete. Too – a Bourgogne of real finesse. Top!

2022 Chorey-lès-Beaune
In the plain, a little wc here.
A more vertical nose, of fine floral top notes and an extra intensity. More frank, a little extra structure, finishing perfumed on the palate. A beauty!

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles
The domaine has a mix of red and white here, one of the last places to be harvested, like the Bourgogne, this is destemmed.
A larger aromatic, the perfumed fruit again very inviting. The palate more strict than the nose but never too much. I really like the fresh finishing structure – almost a little juicy finishing.

2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Fourneaux
Vines from 1956
A calmer nose but an obviously red-fruited one. Fresh, a wine of good shape and structure – lovely wine.

2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Aux Fourneaux
The same age as the last for some of the vines
A more open and perfumed nose. Hmm, direct and energetic, structure like the last but with a little extra flesh on the bones – red-fruited flesh

2022 Beaune 1er Clos du Roi
Towards the bottom, sandy soil but it’s difficult here in hot years.
Much rounder and riper red fruit aromas but not just, there are the flowers too. Round but with a little mineral energy – easy on the palate but still a delicious and refreshing wine with a faint finishing touch of tannin

2022 Beaune 1er Cent Vignes
Hmm – that’s a lovely depth, vibration and concentration of aroma. Super width. I love this long finish, it’s just so good – simply an excellent wine!

2022 Beaune 1er Bressandes
Right at the top – ‘in the garrigue’ – light clay soils here
A little less colour and a more airy perfume. In the mouth, this has more direction and a growing well of flavour that’s accented by its acidity. The finishing width and persistence is the most impressive of all – though the start of this wine is more compact.

2022 Aloxe-Corton
Citerne and Boutière – 50% wc here
A little more spice to this nose, a little darker fruit too. Mouth-filling, more muscular wine. Still, fine tannins and a lot of finishing energy super!

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Les Vergelesses
More depth – ooh this is good! I love this direct personality and the architectural shape – a modest strictness keeps me in control – then a broad delicious and lasting width of flavour – simply excellent wine.

2022 Corton
90% from Chaumes et la Voierosse, here has very red soil. 2/3rds from 1962 and 1966 – they had some Pougets too, but found it ‘lite’ so are replanting to white. Also 10% Corton-Combes
Airy, perfumed, floral wine. Hmm, I love this shape and structure; the flavour juicily coming from the core. The finish is complex and a little spiced – there’s 1/3 new oak but you will hardly notice – very long. Super wine!