2003 Christophe Perrot-Minot Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts

Domaine Christophe Perrot-Minot dates its history to the mid-19th century, when Christophe Perrot-Minot’s great grandparents founded the estate. Today the domaine owns or has long-term leases on 26 acres of vineyards in and around Morey-Saint-Denis, in Burgundy. Since taking over the domaine from his father in 1995, Christophe has enlarged the holdings, increased production and, according to many reviewers, improved the quality of the wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls Christophe Perrot-Minot “one of Burgundy’s finest winemakers.” The estate produces Grand Crus, Premiers Crus and Villages wines.

Les Beaux Monts is a 28.6-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Vosne-Romanee appellation of Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. It is on the northern edge of the appellation, bordering Flagey-Echezeaux. The vineyard has a southern exposure, and the soil is part clay and marl. It is one of the largest of Vosne-Romanee’s Premier Crus. Clive Coates calls Les Beaux Monts “a nice big wine, but nonetheless perfumed, full of finesse, even lush.”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.