2020 Armand Heitz Meursault 1er Cru Perrières

The history of Domaine Heitz-Lochardet goes back to 1857. Over the years, the family of Georges Lochardet, who was a wine merchant, acquired important vineyards totaling 20 ha, and when he died, he left 50% of it to his son Armand. Armand had 3 children and in 1983 his daughter Brigitte married Christian Heitz and a few years later Domaine Heitz-Lochardet was founded. For many years all the wines were sold to Maison Drouhin who also took care of the vineyards and since 2013 Armand has been making his own wines and this house is now part of the premier league of Burgundy.

When Armand Heitz, the next generation, completed his oenological studies in 2011, he set about recovering his mother’s vineyards and converting them to fully biodynamic grapes. A young man with knowledge beyond his years, he completed his first vintage in 2013, guided by consulting oenologist Ludovic Pierrot who spent eight years at the legendary Domaine Leflaive, with Anne-Claude Leflaive, the matriarch of Biodynamics in the Cote d’Or. Ludovic actively supported Armand in his plan to bring his 5 ha of vineyards into production in three phases. He made five wines in 2013, a total of eight wines in 2014 and will bottle the last two vineyards in 2015. The villages that Heitz-Lochardet produces are Chassagne-Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Meursault, Pommard and Volnay. In addition, there is a small amount of Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc.

Armand’s philosophy can be summed up in four words: “Working with nature”. The estate team largely relies on the principles of organic and biodynamic viticulture and is particularly fond of agroecology or regenerative agriculture, which allows for the development of biodiversity and improved fertility of the land. True winemakers, Armand and his team share a deep love of the land and the same dedication to sharing their passion with as many people as possible. The wines are aromatic, extremely well-balanced and express their terroir – classic nods to old-fashioned Burgundian winemaking practices. All of Armand’s wines are whole-cluster fermentations, as he firmly believes that the essence of a wine is derived from its

Throughout its history, the village of Meursault has never wanted to claim one or more grands crus. This is a pity, because the agronomic potential of its 1er crus cannot match the prestige of the grands crus of the Montrachet or Corton hills. If Meursault had to have a grand cru, it would undoubtedly be Les Perrières. It is a powerful, intense wine, a rich and imposing terroir. Situated halfway up the hills, like all the best crus in Burgundy, it benefits from the best agronomic conditions.

South of the Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet, together with Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, forms the famous "Côte des Blancs". The estate cultivates two plots on the Perrières du Bas. In the 19th century, Doctor Lavalle, author of a remarkable history and statistics of the vineyard and the great wines of the Côte-d'Or, wrote: "After the true Montrachet, I know of no more excellent white wine." The main characteristic of this terroir is the considerable presence of pebbles. The proximity of an old quarry is therefore no coincidence. The clay content is low and the rocky soil sometimes protrudes. These characteristics make it possible to produce rich, powerful, mineral and precise wines.

FACT: In the Tab: Attachment you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount.