The story goes that a parcel of vines in the Merusault Perrières vineyard lost its exalted appellation classification when the owner added 10-inches or so of topsoil to replace that which had been washed away. That modification turned what is now called Chaumes des Perrières into Bourgogne Blanc — not even Meursault. It’s a nice story, which I cannot confirm, but after tasting the wine, it could well be true. Dupont-Fahn’s steely Chaumes des Perrières may not be Merusault Perrières, but it’s an exciting and riveting Bourgogne Blanc, ranking with the best of that category. Stoney, indeed, as the Perrières name suggests, it delivers plenty of oomph to balance the mineral-infused acidity. It gets high marks for delivering more than its lowly pedigree suggests.
Dupont-Fahn, Bourgogne Blanc (Burgundy, France) 2020
By Michael Apstein