Relying less and less on must exchanges and more on vines under their own control, it is to no surprise the 2023 vintage is the best to date from this address.
Piece by piece, the exchange of vineyards from father to daughter, Paul to Alvina, continues to shift the offering under the Alvina Pernot label to something of utter excellence. Already at such a high calibre, with each year Alvina and her husband, Philippe, take over more of Paul Pernot's vineyards to develop and evolve the offerings within her portfolio.
The 2023 vintage welcomes a great wealth of Puligny-Montrachet Premier Crus to our offering. With Chalumaux, Clos de la Jacquelotte, Clos de la Garenne, Folatières, Champs Gain, Le Cailleret, and Les Pucelles standing as the strong pillars of Alvina's personal interpretation of the Cote d'Or. Small alterations such as using a vertical press rather than a horizontal press, trickle down to the final cuvées in such style that there is no doubt that Alvina is making a name for herself, not hiding in the shadows of her predecessors. Alvina and Philippe are ones to watch and I cannot wait to see the full transition of the vineyards come to fruition in the vintages to come.
"Alvina Pernot is going from strength to strength with a strong portfolio built around seven Puligny Premier Crus. These are precise and characterful, each respectful to their terroir. There is plenty to savour at all price points and I would refer readers to the pair of excellent Bourgogne Côte d’Or Blancs in this respect." - Neal Martin, Vinous.
TASTING NOTES AND RATINGS
BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY "RUE DE BOIS" 2023
Pale lemon and lime. Quite a rich bouquet, showing the ripeness of the vintage. Excellent fruit acid balance, racy yet with flesh, good tension. Ripe citrus notes, fair length. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted Oct 2024. 89 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY "FEMELOTTES" 2023
The 2023 Bourgogne Cote d'Or Les Femelottes is picked four days later than the Rue de Bois cuvee. This inevitably has more complexity, being located adjacent to the Puligny appellation. Green apple, flint and dewy meadow scents open, with an underlying waxy note. The palate is taut and precise with grapefruit and tangy orange peel, wonderful depth with matching razor-sharp acidity. This is one of the best Bourgogne Cote d'Or wines that you will find in 2023. 90 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET "CLOS DES NOYERS BRETS" 2023
Pale lemon and lime. 40% in terracotta amphora, new this year. Currently noticeably reductive. There is more weight to this, a white fruit flesh on the palate, with significant length. Once the reduction and oak are harmonised, this will be excellent. Drink from 2027-2032. Tasted Oct 2024. 92 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
MEURSAULT 1ER CRU "LA PIECE SOUS LE BOIS" 2023
From the family domaine, though the vineyard is suffering. Pale lemon and lime. Medium weight yellow fruit, perfumed with honeysuckle. A bit chunky, not quite at ease. Drink from 2027-2030. Tasted Oct 2024. 90 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
MEURSAULT 1ER CRU "PORUZOT" 2023
A fine lemon and lime colour. The bouquet is much classier than the Charmes. This is beautifully put together with a fine pure limestone thread surrounded by quality fruit picked at the right time. Vinous yet fresh with fine persistence. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Oct 2024. 94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
MEURSAULT 1ER CRU "PERRIERES" 2023
Perhaps the ripest of the Meursault 1ers Crus, with peach and plum aromatics. But Perrières has the backbone to carry this, delivering a perfumed ripe fruit finish with adequate structure. Delicious in this more extravagant style, though the Poruzots has greater tension. Drink from 2029-2032. Tasted Oct 2024. 93 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
SAINT AUBIN BLANC 1ER CRU "COMBES" 2023
Located on the Gamay side of the appellation (village, not variety), the 2023 Saint-Aubin Les Combes 1er Cru has a very pleasant, finely delineated bouquet: hints of yellow plum and grapefruit, a touch of cold steel. The palate is well balanced with a touch of wild peach on the entry. Slivers of freshly sliced pear and lemon peel develop toward the finish, with just a prickle of spice on the aftertaste. Delicious. 92 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "CLOS DE LA JACQUELOTTE" 2023
The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Jacquelotte 1er Cru hails from a lieu-dit within Champ-Canet. It has a crisp and precise bouquet. Subtle yellow fruit, crushed rocks and hints of orange blossom gently unfold on the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with the oak seamlessly integrated. It's lightly spiced with a bright and vivacious finish. This is a strong follow-up to the excellent 2022. 92 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "CHAMPS GAIN" 2023
A new appellation, from exchanged must. Mid lemon and lime, a neutral nose, until a little honeysuckle emerges. This has quite some density on the palate, a touch of warmth behind, but with the class of the fruit returning. Not too mineral a Champ Gain, much more a question of the fruit. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Oct 2024. 93 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "CLOS DE LA GARENNE" 2023
A fraction more lemon than lime in the colour. Discreet in bouquet though with a suggestion of more concentration to follow. A little lemon zest starts to emerge, broader and fleshier in style on the palate, with waves of attractive fruit that is not too ripe, but adequately so and with good concentration. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Oct 2024. 93 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "CLOS DES FOLATIERES" 2023
Pale colour. Much more class on the nose, the Clos des Folatières is really quite striking. Though not managed by Alvina and Philippe, there are some yellow touches to the fruit which retains a core of white orchard fruit with good acidity, but overall the Clos des Folatières indicates optimum ripeness, class and length. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2024. 94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "LES CHALUMAUX" 2023
From the family, the oldest vines which grandfather Paul planted, in 1954. Pale in colour, with a bouquet as much redolent of stones as of fruit. Racy and stony on the palate too with good tension, less ripe grapes it seems, but with good persistence. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Oct 2024. 92 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "LES CAILLERETS" 2023
The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru comes from an exchange in must with another grower. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, a fresh entry and a touch of bitter lemon on the linear finish. You get the feeling that this cuvee is playing it a bit safe. 91 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU "LES PUCELLES" 2023
Mid lemon and lime. Quite strict, quite electric, even though the family origin (one of two provenances picked on different dates) is picked quite late, as shows in the extra volume on the palate. Nevertheless, the 2023 Pucelles has retained acidity and the generosity is appealing. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Oct 2024. 93 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU 2023
The 2023 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from the Pernot family, from vines situated on the Pernand side. This is very aromatic and complex on the nose, with white flowers infusing yellow fruit, hints of brioche and grilled almond. The palate is very well balanced with wonderful poise, a citric thread of acidity and attractive salinity. This is one of the best Corton-Charlemagne wines that I tasted during my weeks in Burgundy. It is far superior to the 2022. 95 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
Clear fresh colour with an appealing nose, stones in the right place, a little bit too much oak behind in its extreme youth, will resolve. The picking date works well. Four barrels madre, all from the Pernand side. Excellent persistence. Drink from 2029-2036. Tasted Oct 2024. 94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
BATARD-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2023
A lime streak in the colour. A little toastiness from the oak., before the fruit rapidly takes over. This is not immediately forthcoming but it is definitely all there, quite a mineral white fruit, not an overly sumptuous Bâtard, but it grows steadily on the palate. Really rather beautifully balanced, indeed distinguished, at the end. Drink from 2029-2036. Tasted Oct 2024. 96 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
From two plots located on the Chassagne and Puligny side, the 2023 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a taut, fresh, mineral-driven bouquet with plenty of coiled-up energy. The palate is also fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity. It is more penetrating and citric than the Bienvenues, with a lick of salinity on the finish urging you back for another sip. This is a very impressive Batard-Montrachet that will give 20+ years of pleasure. 96 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
BIENVENUE-BATARD-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2023
Pale lemon and lime. Much less is in evidence on the nose. Not the supple come-hither, indeed welcoming style of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, but it is nicely presented on the palate, and like the Bâtard grows discreetly. A good fruit-acid balance, with some little slightly riper nuances at the finish. Three barrels made, one new, as for the Bâtard. Drink from 2029-2035. Tasted Oct 2024. 94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.
The 2023 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru comprises three barrels this year. This has a sublime bouquet with outstanding delineation: a mixture of white and yellow fruit suffused with crushed stone and light oyster shell scents. The palate is surfeit with energy and just a very slight reduction. Hints of tropical fruit (passion fruit and pineapple) emerge toward the finish. This leans slightly to the exotic side but in a positive way. This will be very seductive. 94 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2023
From fruit sourced externally from the family. Pale lemon colour with a minimal reductive gunflint. There is a very classical thread of pure white stone fruit on the palate, medium intensity at the finish, fine length. Drink from 2029-2035. Tasted Oct 2024. 94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.