A. Pernin-Rossin – Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru ‘La Richemone’ 1985

A. Pernin-Rossin – Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru ‘La Richemone’ 1985

1. Introduction and historical context

The Domaine Pernin-Rossin was foundedin 1974 by André Pernin and his wife (née Rossin) in Vosne-Romanée. What began as a modest project quickly developed into a cult name amongst collectors of great Burgundies. In the 1980s and 1990s, Pernin-Rossin’s wines were recognised by international critics as the “purest and most moving expression of their terroirs”.

André Pernin was one of the few winemakers of his time to resist the excesses of modern oenology and reject excessive chaptalisation. Under the influence of the Lebanese agronomist Guy Accad, he practised extended cold maceration prior to fermentation – known as sulphite maceration – which had a lasting impact on the estate’s style. This method extracts colour, primary aromas and refined tannins in a particularly gentle manner, lending the wines exceptional aromatic concentration as well as a depth of colour atypical of Pinot Noir .

2. The terroir: La Richemone

The La Richemonevineyard is a Premier Cru within the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation and is regarded as the estate’smost famous cuvée. The estate cultivates this rare Premier Cru with old vines ranging from 20 to 60 years old.

The soils are typical of the Côte de Nuits: clay-limestone with marl-limestone nuances on the slopes and exposed limestone pebbles on the upper slopes. This mosaic of terroirs gives the wines their precise aromatic expression and their long ageing potential. The vineyard borders the Vosne-Romanée appellation and benefits from its proximity.

The vineyard is planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. The average production of the entire estate is deliberately controlled and ranges between 20,000 and 25,000 bottles per year.

3. The 1985 vintage

The 1985 vintage is one of the estate’s outstanding vintages. Alongside the vintages of the 1980s and 1990s, the ‘La Richemone’ cuvée was rated ‘hors concours’ (in a league of its own) by critics . This underscores the exceptional quality achieved by André Pernin during this era.

Vinification was carried out using the estate’s characteristic, traditional, artisanal method:

• Hand-harvesting with rigorous sorting

• Long cold maceration prior to fermentation (Accad method)

• Temperature-controlled fermentation without excessive chaptalisation

• Ageing in oak barrels from the neighbouring Cîteaux Forest, crafted by small local coopers such as Baudinet

• The proportion of new barrels is keptto a minimum so as not to overpower the wine

• Bottling takes place after a sufficient period of maturation

The wine presents an aromatic bouquet characterised by ripe plums and dried fruits such as prunes. On the palate, it is refined and supported by a delicate tannin structure that ensures a pleasant length.

4. Ratings and reviews

Although specific tasting notes for the 1985 vintage from Pernin-Rossin are not available in detail in the sources consulted, the quality can be gauged from the following indications:

• In the 1980s and 1990s, the cuvée was ratedby critics as ‘in a league of its own’

• Pernin-Rossin’s wines were describedas “deep, complex and suitable for ageing” and praised by international critics

• The estate remains “a cult name amongst collectors of great Burgundies”

By way of comparison: the 1985 La Richemone from Maison Leroy scored 97 points in a horizontal tasting and was described as “seductively fragrant, grand and rich, with a very caressing texture”. Although this is a different producer, it underlines the potential of the La Richemone vineyard in the 1985 vintage.

5. Auction and market information

Pernin-Rossin’s wines are highly sought afterby collectors . The 1985 vintage regularly features in international auctions:

• At Bonhams (London, October 2008), a lot comprising two bottles of Nuits-St-Georges, 1er Cru Richemone 1985 by A. Pernin-Rossin was sold for £184 (including commission). However, the bottles exhibited “1 nicked label & old signs of seepage”, and one bottle had a liquid level 5 cm below the cork.

• Current price indications are available for other vintages of Pernin-Rossin’s La Richemone – for example , €112 for the 1990 vintage (75cl bottle).

The limited production (20,000–25,000 bottles per year for the entire estate) and the cult-like reverence amongst connoisseurs make these wines rare treasures on the secondary market.

6. Summary

The 1985 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru ‘La Richemone’ from A. Pernin-Rossin is a legendary Burgundy from the estate’s heyday. André Pernin’s uncompromising craftsmanship – long cold maceration, no chaptalisation, gentle extraction – resulted in wines of exceptional depth and complexity. The La Richemone vineyard, with its old vines and calcareous terroir, provided the foundation for a cuvée that critics described as ‘in a league of its own ’.

The 1985 vintage is now a highly sought-after rarity for collectors who appreciate the purist, terroir-driven style of that era. Its limited availability and the estate’s cult status make it a highly sought-after item at auctions – a testament to the timeless quality that André Pernin immortalised in his wines.