Dugat-Py Pernand-Vergelesses Sous-Fretille Vieilles Vignes Premier Cru 2011
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2020-
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
The celebrated estate of Dugat-Py, located at the base of the Combe de Lavaux in Gevrey-Chambertin, has been producing world-class wines for decades. While the exterior of the house impresses with its mid-16th century architecture, it is the aging cellar that is truly spectacular. The cellar, or L'Aumônerie, is essentially a small abbey that was built by the Diocese of Dijon in the 11th century — making it the oldest cellar in Burgundy today.
In 1975, Bernard Dugat purchased vines in Gevrey and produced his first wines. The creation of the two separate family estates came about in 1994: Domaine Claude Dugat and Domaine Dugat-Py. Py is the maiden name of Bernard's wife, Jocelyne. In 1996, their son, Loïc, joined the family business. He is now at the helm of the Domaine and started their conversion to organic viticulture in 1999, gaining full accreditation in 2003.
Today the family owns 23.5 acres of Pinot Noir and 2.5 acres of Chardonnay, including the original vineyards located in Gevrey. Loïc is passionate about old vines, always searching for old parcels of Pinot Fin or Chardonnay. This dedication has resulted in the domaine now owning vines aged from 65 to more than 100 years old in both Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Consequently, nearly every wine in the line-up is designated either as Vieilles Vignes or Très Vieilles Vignes. They tend to these mature vineyards with meticulous care, using homemade biodynamic teas throughout (they are certified biodynamic). The 1er Cru and Grand Cru sites are horse-plowed. The vines are never trimmed, allowing the canopies to reach a height of seven or eight feet in the summer months.
The family has always produced classic Vins de Garde: deep in color, with explosive fruit and chiseled tannins. However, since Loïc has taken over, there has been a clear evolution, in the vineyards and in the winery. Loïc does not chaptalize, acidify, inoculate, or add anything to juice, and sulfur is only added prior to bottling. And while the wines are still deep and powerful, they have more balance and finesse than ever. Also never elevated, the alcohol rarely surpasses 13.5%, and harvest now occurs on the earlier side to retain freshness and elegance.
You will love re-discovering the wines of Domaine Dugat Py.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A classic source of exceptional Chardonnay as well as Pinot Noir, the Côte de Beaune makes up the southern half of the Côte d’Or. Its principal wine-producing villages are Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
The area is named for its own important town of Beaune, which is essentially the center of the Burgundy wine business and where many negociants center their work. Hospices de Beaune, the annual wine auction, is based here as well.