Our Burgundy-loving subscribership has been feasting on a trove of back-vintage finds from the excellent Domaine Darviot-Perrin. Most have been whites from Meursault, where Darviot-Perrin has one of the more enviable collections of vineyard real estate around, but lo and behold, we’ve got some top-shelf red to share, too! It's actually the only Pinot Noir we were able to pry out of our contact's wrench-tight grip but we were blown away nonetheless. And who wouldn't be—it's eight-year-old Santenots!
The estate’s heirloom vineyard holdings, passed down to founder Didier Darviot from his legendary father-in-law, Pierre Perrin, include pieces of all the best Premier Crus in Meursault (“Charmes,” “Genevrières,” “Perrières”), while on the red side, they’ve got one of the undisputed top dogs in Volnay Premier Cru “Santenots.” Today’s 2013, a well-reviewed wine when it was originally released, is evolving beautifully and priced right: This is some silky, smoky, seductive Premier Cru Pinot Noir that is singing now and has plenty of positive development ahead of it. We can offer up to four bottles per customer today, and if I were you, I’d take it to the limit—this is an incredibly savvy addition to any Burgundy-rich collection!
Considered one of the linchpins of premium Burgundy, one would think the Darviot-Perrin name stretched for centuries. However, Didier Darviot didn’t release his first commercial vintage until 1989. It did not take long to make a name for himself, and by the 21st century, the wines were on the radar of every Burgundy insider. After retiring in 2017, Didier searched high and low for a successor and two years later, he landed on one that was close to home—his son, Pierre-Antonin, who left his own career to carry on the family business. In that short time, he’s transitioned the estate’s vineyards—which have been farmed organically for 25 years—to full-scale biodynamic agriculture. The estate is based in the village of Monthelie (where its red wines are vinified), but also maintains a cellar in Meursault.
And, when it comes to the finest Pinot Noir, there’s really no argument: Along with “Taillepieds,” Caillerets, and “Clos des Chênes,” “Santenots” is one of the star crus of Volnay. It is, as many Burgundy fanatics know, a unique site: Located in the northern reaches of Meursault, which becomes Volnay, it is planted to both red and white grapes. The reds fall under the red-specific Volnay appellation, the whites under Meursault. The soils of the site riff on the classic clay/limestone mix, showing a reddish tint that indicates a high iron content.
Though the regimen may evolve as Pierre-Antonin Darviot takes over the reins more fully, the reds at Darviot-Perrin have historically been made from fully destemmed fruit, followed by a short “cold soak” prior to fermentation. Aging was carried out in 25% new French oak barriques for 18 months, and, especially now that the wine has enjoyed further bottle age, this wine’s fruit/earth components are on center stage. In the glass, the wine displays a translucent ruby/garnet core moving to a pink rim, with high-toned aromas of wild strawberry, rhubarb, black cherry, violets, underbrush, and a hint of wood smoke. Volnay often has a slightly rustic, woodsy edge to it, and this one is no exception, although that element is perfectly calibrated—ultimately, I’d describe it as silky and refined. Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60 degrees and you’re in for a picture-perfect red Burgundy experience. This one immediately had me thinking about one of my “go-to” recipe suggestions: The famous Zuni Café roast chicken. This pairing always delivers at the highest possible level. Enjoy!
