Domaine Rapet, Pernand-Vergelesses, 'Les Belles Filles' 2022

From a near-perfect, ripe and balanced vintage, following a cold and small year, the ripeness and generosity that characterise wines of this vintage is both exciting and reassuring. The result is that the wines deliver fully on their promise, with flair and poise, making them utterly irresistible. 

This is a wine full of red fruit, cherries and integrated oak spice, soft, velvety tannins and a superb backbone of supporting acidity. With developing notes of sous-bois and culinary spices of nutmeg and clove, this is a classic red benefitting from the know-how the Rapet family have developed in this vineyard for decades.

Situated to the north of the town on Beaune and immediately to the west and north of the hill of the great Aloxe Corton, much of Pernand is right nest to the Grand Crus of Aloxe itself, making this a brilliantly-priced appellation. The wines are typically a little darker and structured than those of Savigny or Chorey as they are blocked from much of the south-east sunlight on account of the hill of Aloxe being in the way! This then forces the vines to dig deeper for nutrients and causes them to produce grapes that have thicker skins and are smaller in size, increasing colour and tannin. 

In Rapet's hands, this is another, wonderfully elegant, subtly complex wine that has huge flavour depth, balance and intensity with a long, silky, engaging finish and decades of ageing potential ahead.