Pernand-Vergelesses is one of Burgundy's most quietly rewarding appellations, tucked behind the Corton hill at the northern edge of the Cote de Beaune. Rapet's Les Combottes is a beautiful entry point into what this village produces: fresh and vivid on the nose with white fruit, delicate spice, and a stony mineral thread, then a palate that is lively and precise with excellent length. This is not a simple village wine -- it has the bones of something that rewards attention.
Quick Facts
- Appellation: AOC Pernand-Vergelesses, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
- Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
- Winemaker: Vincent Rapet
- Farming: Sustainable (certified organic)
- Aging: 12-15 months in oak barrels, 30% new
Tasting Profile
- Aroma: Fresh white fruit, delicate spice, honey, flint, subtle floral lift
- Body: Medium to medium-full
- Fruit: Precise and elegant; ripe but never heavy, with citrus threading through the mid-palate
- Oak: Present but restrained; 12-15 months in barrel (30% new) adds structure without masking the terroir
- Texture: Lively and taut with a silky, polished quality that opens with air
- Finish: Long and stony, with a slightly smoky, mineral character that lingers
Why We Love It
Rapet is one of Burgundy's most important estates and one of the great stewards of Pernand-Vergelesses -- a village that often flies under the radar precisely because it doesn't need to shout. Les Combottes comes from south-west-facing parcels on a steep slope, planted in white, marly soils that produce Chardonnay with an unusually fresh, lively, and elegant character. The 2023 vintage is being called one of the finest in recent memory for white Burgundy, and tasting this wine makes it easy to believe.
Winemaking
The vines in Les Combottes were planted in the early 2000s on new parcels with southwest exposure, on steep slopes that are challenging to farm but deliver terrific concentration. Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed gently before fermenting in a combination of tank and barrel. The wine ages for 12 to 15 months in oak barrels including some new ones, developing complexity and finesse without losing the freshness that defines the site. Vincent Rapet manages the domaine with the same precision he has brought to every vintage since taking over from his father -- meticulous in the vineyard, restrained at the winery.
Serving & Pairing
Serve at 50-54F; a brief 20-30 minute decant in youth will help it open up. Works beautifully with elegant starters, langoustine, gambas, fine fish, or a mellow goat cheese. Also excellent with roast veal, chicken in cream sauce, or anything where you want a white Burgundy rather than a big oaky Chardonnay.
Drinking Window
Drinking well now through 2031. The 2023 vintage has excellent freshness and structure; a year or two of patience will reward you with added complexity.
Estate Overview
The Rapet family's history in Pernand-Vergelesses stretches back two and a half centuries, with a taste-vin bearing the family name dated to 1765 still preserved at the domaine. Today Vincent Rapet oversees roughly 20 hectares spread across Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Chorey-les-Beaune, and Savigny-les-Beaune -- with Corton-Charlemagne as the estate's crown jewel. Les Combottes represents the domaine's most accessible white, but it comes from the same hands and the same philosophy that produces some of the Cote de Beaune's most sought-after bottles.
