Beaune blanc 1er Cru Clos des Champs Pimont 2023 Domaine Rapet

The Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Champs Pimont 2023 from Domaine Rapet Père et Fils is one of the most surprising and ambitious white cuvées of the Côte de Beaune, a powerful, elegant Chardonnay of great minerality, from a discreet terroir that the Rapet family has identified and magnified where others might have planted Pinot Noir. A de facto monopoly on the upper portion of this Premier Cru, this Clos is often described as the most gastronomic and extrovert white in the range, a wine of high class that reaches the summit in fine vintages.

The Terroir of Clos des Champs Pimont

Situated behind Beaune's suburbs, on the right flank of Mont Saint-Désiré, the climat of Champs Pimont forms a small natural amphitheatre below an old limestone quarry, with fine eastern exposure ensuring optimal morning sun and early, harmonious grape ripeness. The geology is particularly remarkable: the upper portion of the Premier Cru, where Domaine Rapet has planted its old-vine Chardonnay, reveals chalky soil composed of limestone scree that fell directly from the quarry above, a lean, well-draining earth of uncommon mineral richness. The lower slope, more silty, is generally planted with Pinot Noir; it is at height, on these friable, stony chalks, that Chardonnay finds its ideal terrain. The subsoil is moreover rich in iron oxides, a rare characteristic that contributes the wine's structure, depth and particular mineral intensity. With naturally early ripeness, this parcel is among the very first harvested by Vincent Rapet and his son Robin. Conscious of this terroir's natural richness, Vincent Rapet ages part of it in concrete eggs, more neutral and allowing natural micro-oxygenation, and the rest in barrels, for a result of remarkable complexity and precision.

Tasting Profile

The colour is brilliant gold with greenish glints, luminous and clear. The nose shows immediate expressiveness and generosity: aromas of poached pear, honeysuckle and candied citrus interweave with buttery, pastry-like notes of almond, hazelnut and brioche, complemented by a whisper of flint and chalky minerality that marks the limestone terroir. With aeration, notes of white peach, white flowers and fresh chalk enrich the bouquet. On the palate, the texture is enveloping and almost oily, with succulence and generosity that command respect: rich, concentrated material nourished by the depth of the iron-rich terroir, carried by fresh, well-integrated acidity that brings balance, tension and length. Aromas of white fruit coulis, lemon cream, mandarin and sweet almond unfold with persistence, before a long, dense, fruity finish of great elegance. A wine of high class, accessible now yet promising fine development over five to ten years.

The Domaine

Domaine Rapet Père et Fils is among Burgundy's oldest and most respected houses. A silver tasting cup engraved 'Rapet' dating from 1765, passed down through generations, testifies to the continuity of this winemaking family based in Pernand-Vergelesses. Today run by Vincent Rapet and his son Robin, the domaine extends over 20 hectares across the prestigious appellations of the northern Côte de Beaune: Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton and Beaune, as well as parcels of Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Certified at Level 3 Haute Valeur Environnementale by the French Ministry of Agriculture and currently converting to organic practices, the domaine favours environmentally respectful viticulture and meticulous vineyard work to obtain the finest fruit possible, a faithful mirror of each terroir. Every cuvée from the domaine is straight, balanced and full of freshness and precision, true mirrors of the terroirs from which they come.

Food Pairings

This Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Champs Pimont pairs magnificently with a suprême of Bresse chicken poached in creamy mushroom sauce, a roasted turbot steak with hollandaise, a veal chop sautéed with truffle purée, grilled langoustines with tarragon butter or white truffle risotto. It will also find harmony with aged soft-paste cheeses such as Brie de Meaux or Comté aged 18 months. Served between 12 and 14 °C with 20 minutes of decanting advised, it will reveal all the richness, depth and chalky minerality of a great white from the Côte de Beaune.