A discreet, silent man, some would say, Vincent Rapet is undeniably one of the very best winegrowers of the Côte de Beaune.
4 GENERATIONS OF EXCEPTIONAL WINEMAKING
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils is an old winemaking family that can trace its roots in Pernand-Vergelesses back to 1765, thanks to the testimonial of a “tastevin” (a wine tasting cup traditionally carried by a sommelier) stamped with the year and the family name. The estate today comprises 20 hectares of vineyards in the villages of Pernand-Vergelesses, Beaune, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Chorey-Les-Beaune, and Aloxe-Corton. Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are planted in the various vineyards, including parcels in 3 Grands Crus: Corton-Charlemagne, Corton, and Corton Pougets, all situated on the slope of the Corton hill, as well as their 9 Premier Cru plots. Vincent Rapet and his wife Sylvette oversee the estate, and Vincent is known for his attention to detail and classic winemaking style. His whites are whole cluster pressed, fermented in barrels (about 20% new oak), and aged in 350-liter barrels; while the reds see an average 15days maceration period followed by maturation in 228-liter oak barriques (around 30% new wood).
With 3.05ha of Corton Charlemagne holdings, the Rapet family is one of the largest owners for this spectacular white Grand Cru. The whites and the reds can age very well with many recent testimonies of impressive tastings (C.f Jasper Morris, William Kelley) for 70s Corton and Corton Charlemagne showing the ability for these wines to undergo long cellaring.
“Working the vines is a serious task demanding great application: disbudding, tying in, stripping the leaves on the side facing the rising sun to allow the grapes to take advantage of every one of the sun’s rays.”
