2017 Pernand Vergelesses Ile de Vergelesse

The 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses Ile de Vergelesses 1er Cru comes from an east-facing hill equally balanced between clay and limestone, averaging 45-year-old vines. (It was supposed to be classified Grand Cru in 1936 but was denied because it can suffer in cooler vintages.) The bouquet is fresh and detailed, featuring mineral-rich dark berry fruit laced with bay leaf and black tea. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. 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 de Vergelesses that should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure.

Deeper, more multidimensional and more complete than the Les Vergelesses, the 2017 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile de Vergelesses offers up scents of sweet berries, forest floor, wild plums and grilled meats. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with a quiet presence and impressive length. It's the king of the premiers crus from Chandon de Briailles this year.