2017, Domaine Chandon de Briailles, PERNAND-VERGELESSES, 1er Cru, 'Ile de Vergelesses'

The 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses 1er Cru comes from an east-facing hill equally balanced between clay and limestone, averaging 45-year-old vines. The bouquet is fresh and detailed, featuring mineral-rich dark berry fruit laced with bay leaf and black tea. This comes replete with crunchy red berry fruit laced with cracked black pepper and an insistent grip toward the almost Morey-like finish. A very sophisticated Ile des Vergelesses that should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. 91-93 Neal Martin, Vinous.

Partly wooden fermentation tanks. Liquorice and spicy tension are Claude de Nicolay’s markers for this cool site. The nose is really engaging, with a much darker fruit than Lavières. This is very spicy behind yet with an intensity of intense red fruit plus that little touch of liquorice. Fresh and not too tannic, the complex flavours coming back again very late. **** 91 Jasper Morris, MW.

Cool and airy mix of both red and dark currant, spice and soft oak whiffs. The mouth feel of the middle weight flavours is conspicuously more sophisticated and more mineral-driven as well and particularly so on the focused, delineated and impressively long finish. 91 Burghound.