Tasted in Puligny with Alvina Pernot and husband Philippe Abadie, 07 October 2020.
Alvina Pernot
26 rue de Poiseul
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Of course, you will recognise Alvina from her family’s domaine, but in 2018 she decided, with her husband Philippe to make a label of her own. Talking of labels, I like the ones for Alvina’s range of wines, very classic and sober.
2019 is the second vintage of Alvina and Philippe’s adventure; all purchased in must apart from one small vineyard where they do the work themselves – some are exchanges, some from within in the family – hence, a range with many labels recognisable from the family domaine. The production was a little less than 10,000 bottles in 2018, 2019 bringing more cuvées/appellations but not more bottles – due to lower volumes in general in 2019. There is a growth in 2020 though, with more like 30,000 bottles!
The markets for these wines are mainly outside of France, but bars such as Bar 66 and Part des Anges, in Beaune, both carry some of the wines. Alvina and Philippe hope to have a new winery, in Puligny, up and running in time for the 2021 harvest.
The wines…
My introduction to Alvina’s own-label wines. There are some obvious style differences between some of them – no surprise when most come from contracts – even from friends. There are also some wines worth searching out too – of great quality – of purity and tension, and that’s Alvina’s goal.
All bottled at the end of July – with 11 months on their lees – practically no new oak – mainly 1-2 years old. Perhaps it will be possible to extend the elevage longer once the new cuverie is established. All cork here, but organic cork, untreated.
2019 Santenay Bieveaux (Rouge)
This red Santenay comes from Alvina’s grandfather but was never commercialized by the domaine – and it’s quite a large parcel – practically 1 ha of 40-year-old vines. All destemmed, a cool maceration ‘but not too low temperature, just to slow down the onset of fermentation.’
A good, not excessive colour. The nose is bright concentrated and certainly ripe – but with freshness. In the mouth though, this is cool, silky, wide and slowly adding layers of forward cherry-fruit notes. The finish is full and more focused on the mineral that the fruit – lip-smacking and modestly accented with the bitters. Nice.
Les Blancs:
2019 St.Romain
A single parcel.
Hmm – that’s very attractive – fresh citrus fruit with an engaging depth to it. Silky, nice attack, then slowly melting with mineral flavour. Growing, widening in the finish – there’s lots of material here – slowly lingering with a tasty finish. I like…
2019 Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles-Vignes
Noyer Bret, Enseignieres and one other… It will differ in 2020
A more compact nose but with plenty of freshness. Mineral, plenty of depth, open but still concentrated – very mouthwatering – a style that suggests holding for a while – 1-2 years perhaps – tons of finishing flavour here, always balanced.
Here using a vertical press (instead of the more usual pneumatic press) the grapes collected in small cases. A little earlier harvest here, so a degree less maturity than the others.
Still a little compact but with good freshness all the same. Ooh that’s good – almost crystalline, silky, there’s still concentration but beautifull mouth-watering balance too. This is a simply beautiful wine – long – bravo!
2019 Meursault 1er Le Piece sous le Bois
Domaine, young vines.
Again a very restrained nose, but there’s a fineness to it all the same, suggesting some agrume style fruit. Wider, I love the energy here – mineral of-course. Layers of mineral flavour, always mouth-watering, beautifully textured nd of course mineral. Excellent – as a minimum!
2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Garenne
This one is a little more open, has more aromatic depth and certainly a little extra herb in the mix. Fuller – really mouth-filling yet at the same time, silky and mineral – like all so far! The finish is more ‘important’ versus the Meursault today – extra long, slightly sugared but completely delicious – excellent.
2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Chalumaux
A little more open width, yet still discreet – a little ‘fizz’ of minerality. Mineral, melting, just slightly less initial interest after the last two, yet from the middle this offers focus and depth – it’s super here.
From the Pernot family’s ‘Clos’ and it will actually be labelled as such next year, 2020. This and the Meursault the only wines with a little new oak.
That’s a little more open again – lovely aromatic dimesion here, always fresh and attractive. Hmm, that’s got more initial presence, silky, wide, mineral, a clarity of citrus, a suggestion of agrume-style reduction but never more than a faint accent. Long finishing – the best finish yet – that’s super. Perhaps bravo!
2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Caillerets
‘Actually, about half a degree less than the other wines – except Pucelles.’
Deeper, riper fruit – there’s more here, though not ‘better.’ A touch of gas. Bigger in the mouth, perhaps part due to that, a more apple-style lower sulfur impression. Wide, very tasty wine, but I prefer the precision of the previous bottles.
2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucelles
Also a little in the style of Caillerets, though finer, a little less ripe. Full, not muscular but structural, a simial style of fruit to the last but generally a little more taut and nicely structured. Fine, I still prefer the style of the previous wines which are all excellent or better, but it’s only a question of style-preference.
2019 Corton-Charlemagne
Hmm – that’s more focused and fresh. Supple, clean, nicely layered, growing in size – just a little barrel cream behind. Of-course, mineral and intense and very long. Fine baby Charlemagne!
