Domaine des Perdrix

Domaine des Perdrix is a Burgundian wine estate based in Premeaux-Prissey, near the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. It is particularly known for its rich red wines made from the Pinot Noir grape variety and, in particlur, for its Premier Cru, almost-monopole, Aux Perdrix vineyard.

The 12-hectare (30-acre) Domaine des Perdrix estate was taken over by the Devillard family in 1996. They also own Domaine du Château de Chamirey in Mercurey, and Domaine de la Ferté in Givry. Initially the wines were sold to négociant Antonin Rodet (a business formerly headed by Bertrand Devillard) but the estate is now completely independent. The estate's flagship holding is the 3.4-hectare (8.4-acre) Nuits-Saint-George Premier Cru vineyard Aux Perdrix, from which the domaine takes its name. The vineyard lies on the Côte d'Or hillside just northwest of Premeaux village, above the Aux Corvées vineyard and below Les Terres Blanches under the treeline at the top of the slope.

Domaine des Perdrix owns 99 percent of the vineyard, making it an almost-monopole. It is divided into four plots, which are vinified separately before being blended into the final wine. One specific plot – known and labeled as Les 8 Ouvrées – has been made as an individual wine since the 2006 vintage. Domaine des Perdrix also farms a tiny plot in the Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru vineyard Les Terre Blanches which includes a small, 0.3-hectare (0.7-acre), parcel of Chardonnay which is rare in this village.

Domaine des Perdrix also has several other holdings, including 1.1 hectares (2.7 acres) in the Echezeaux Grand Cru vineyard, including some very old bush vines too fragile to re-train. The portfolio also includes land in Vosne-Romanée, spread across three village-level sites. These supply a wine that can be more gutsy than the village Nuits-Saint-Georges, and some production is given over to Bourgogne Pinot Noir vines. The estate boasts roughly one hectare (2.5 acres) of village-level vineyard in both Nuits-Saint-Georges and Vosne-Romanée.

Grapes are harvested manually and bunches are destemmed before cold maceration and a slow fermentation. The wines are typically aged in oak barrels for about 18 months, with around 30 percent new wood for the village wines, 60 percent for Premier Cru wines and 90 for the Échezeaux. There is just one racking when the wines are taken to be bottled at Château de Chamirey.