Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru - Domaine Perrot-Minot 1998

The domain

Domaine Perrot-Minot is a wine estate and merchant based in Morey-Saint-Denis, in the north of the Côte de Nuits, in the Côte d'Or, in Burgundy. It produces red wine from Pinot Noir and owns parcels in a set of Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards.

The history of the estate dates back to the end of the 19th century and the marriage of Amédée Merme with Esther Morizot. Esther's parents were both from Burgundian winemaking families, namely the Sigaut family from Chambolle-Musigny and the Morizot family from Morey-Saint-Denis.

The couple maintained and developed the estate inherited by Esther, which adopted the name Domaine Merme-Morizot. The second generation took over after the Second World War and increased the estate's vineyard by acquiring plots that would be considered the best in the Côte d'Or.

In 1963, Henri Perrot-Minot married Marie-France, granddaughter of Amédée and Esther, and it was to them both that the management of the estate fell. The domain name changes accordingly and becomes Domaine Perrot-Minot.

In 1993, Christophe Perrot-Minot succeeded Henri and Marie-France and in 2000, the estate also acquired Domaine Pernin-Rossin and its farms. In 1999, the estate began working as a negociant, making wines from the fruit of the associated vineyards, including several Gevrey-Chambertin grands crus.

In the past, Perrot-Minot used several different labels, bearing either the name of Henri Perrot-Minot or that of his son, Christophe Perrot-Minot. This situation has been consolidated so that all the wines of the estate are labeled Domaine Perrot-Minot, while the wines produced as negociants simply bear the mention Perrot-Minot.

Domaine Perrot-Minot produces wines from seven grands crus, including Chambertin, Clos-de-Bèze and Clos de Vougeot, as well as a range of premier crus. Yields are tightly limited and green harvesting is practiced in specific plots so that some vines only produce five bunches of grapes.

The estate cultivates exceptionally old vines, some of which are over 100 years old, and produces two "ultra" cuvées from the most venerable plants in the premier crus La Richemone and La Combe d'Orveau.

A recent change in aging uses less new oak than in the past, with Grands Crus and Premier Crus typically having only 30% new oak. All wines spend the rest of their aging split evenly between one- and two-year-old barrels.