Darviot Perrin

The cellar of Didier Darviot is the most impeccable of any cellar I have been into, in Burgundy or anywhere else. You go in and he has half bottles of the full range, open, lined up and ready to taste. There are clean glasses and spitoons and everything!

Didier is a perfectionist and this perfectionism is reflected in the cleanliness of the cellar, the perfect line-up of half bottles etc. He, along with his wife, also have some amazing holdings of vineyards, including a beautiful parcel of the little known Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru vineyard called Blanchots Dessus. This is over the wall from Le Montrachet and sells for about 1/5th of the price. Still mad expensive, mind.

We have been tasting at this estate for about 6 or 7 years now and this was the best line-up I have ever tasted, all were perfect expressions of their terroir and the principled correctness of M. Darviot himself.

We tasted, all from 2007:

Bourgogne Blanc Les Magnys - from Meursault, single vineyard - broad, rich and lovely
Meursault Clos de la Velle - richer, broader, v good
Meursault Tessons - stonier, more concentrated
Chassagne Montrachet Bergerie - 90 year old vines based 100 yds south of Montrachet - pure, rich & elegant
Meursault 1er Cru Charmes - 100% new oak, wouldn't know it, excellent
Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres - more citrus, angular
Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres - suave, concentrated, rich, nice balance (my fave of the 3)
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchots Dessus - massive concentration, full, mineral, balance
Reds
Bourgogne Rouge Les Magnys - same vineyard as white - raspberry nose, light fresh fruity easy
Monthelie Les Crays - light, crisp, fruity
Volnay Les Blanches - top of the hill - raspberries & cream, bit richer, very nice balance
Beaune Belissandes - tight, mineral style, food wine, nice fruit though
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Bondues - sexier style ,like a Vosne, raspberries again, v suave

Are these my favourite wines from Burgundy? Maybe....