Poisot Père & Fils : Pernand-Vergelesses 1er cru "En Caradeux" Domaine 2020

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Pernand-Vergelesses 1er cru "En Caradeux" 2020 from Poisot Père & Fils

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a ruby-red color with intense purplish highlights.

Nose

The nose opens with intense aromas of summer red fruits, notably strawberry and raspberry, accompanied by floral notes of violet. With aeration, the bouquet evolves toward hints of undergrowth and spice, revealing the complexity brought by aging.

Palate

On the palate, the wine stands out for its elegant, well-defined structure. The firm Pinot Noir tannins form the wine’s backbone, balanced by fine fruit concentration and refreshing acidity. The finish lingers remarkably, reflecting the quality of extraction and the grapes’ optimal ripeness at harvest.

Food and wine pairings

This Pernand-Vergelesses 1er cru "En Caradeux" 2020 pairs harmoniously with richly flavored meats: roasted or braised veal, leg of lamb with aromatic herbs, grilled pork, or roast beef. Feathered game such as wild duck or woodcock, prepared in sauce with red fruits, also makes an excellent match. On a cheese board, opt for Burgundy specialties with soft or semi-firm textures: Mont d'Or, Vacherin, Tomme de Savoie, Reblochon, or Cîteaux.

Serving and cellaring

The Pernand-Vergelesses 1er cru "En Caradeux" 2020 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 15 and 16 °C. This wine can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve favorably through around 2030, depending on storage conditions.

A structured, mineral Burgundian Pinot Noir from Domaine Poisot Père & Fils

The estate

The Domaine Poisot Père & Fils traces its origins back to 1902, when Marie Poisot, daughter of Louis Latour, inherited part of the family vineyards. Based in Aloxe-Corton in Burgundy, this family-run estate now spans around 2 hectares, including three Grands Crus and one Premier Cru—an exceptional concentration for a property of this size. Since 2010, Rémi Poisot, the fourth generation of winegrowers, has managed the estate after a 28-year career in the French Navy. He transformed the domaine’s business model by prioritizing bottling and direct sales. Haute Valeur Environnementale certified since 2019, the estate practices environmentally respectful viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking to preserve the authentic expression of each terroir.

The vineyard

The "En Caradeux" plot covers 0.36 hectares, located mid-slope on the hillside of Pernand-Vergelesses, facing due east at the mouth of the Pernand valley. This exposure promotes slow, gradual ripening of the grapes, allowing optimal development of aromatic complexity and freshness. The soil has a stony limestone composition, with a nutrient-poor marl subsoil enriched by siliceous residues from flint-bearing limestone. This distinctive soil makeup gives the wine its characteristic mineral profile. The Pinot Noir vines, around 45 years old, lie at an altitude between 250 and 300 meters.

The vintage

The year 2020 saw exceptional weather conditions in Burgundy. After a mild, wet winter, the growing season unfolded under dry, warm conditions, with the driest summer since 1945. Total rainfall from April to August was 50% below average, while temperatures exceeded the norm by 1.7 °C, with 280 additional hours of sunshine. Unlike the extreme heatwaves of 2003 and 2019, the peak heat in 2020 was limited to around 30 °C on average during July. These conditions produced a classic style typical of the north of Beaune, with savory, mineral reds offering remarkable transparency of terroir.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Pernand-Vergelesses 1er cru "En Caradeux" 2020 are harvested by hand and sorted directly in the vineyard. After complete destemming, they are placed in open oak vats for maceration and vinification lasting about 15 days. Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts within a controlled temperature range of 15 to 17 °C. Daily punch-downs and pump-overs help extract color and aromatic compounds. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is racked and transferred to oak barrels for aging over 16 to 18 months, with a moderate proportion of new oak. The barrels are regularly topped up to prevent oxidation. After two rackings, the wine is blended in a stainless-steel tank for 3 to 4 weeks before bottling, carried out without filtration or fining to preserve the full richness of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir