2019 Domaine Chandon de Briailles Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru "Ile des Vergelesses Le Vie Est Belle"

Neal Martin writes: "I visited Domaine Chandon de Brailles in the heart of Savigny-lès-Beaune right at the beginning of my wine career. That seems like a long time ago and I was due another visit. I met winemaker François de Nicolay who led me through the charming interior that looks as if it has been untouched since the family established the domaine in 1834. 'The domaine is 13.7 hectares: one-third Savigny, Pernand and Corton,' François told me. 'I have run the domaine with my sister since 2001 when our mother retired and we turned the vineyard biodynamic in 2005, certified in ECOCERT and DEMETER in viticulture and the vinification. In the vines you can see from the first year it looks healthier. The aim at the beginning was to be authentic with our different climats. We want to be sincere with the climats: the roots going deeper, the grapes more full of their original aromas of the terroir. That was the first aim. I could see that with Domaine Leflaive in the early 1990s. That was the first influence. Now I know our ground is healthy and we do it for the ecological side. Out team is totally dedicated and I converted the whole domaine in one go.'"