Fixin Clos de la Perriére … the forgotten Téte de Cuvée

In 1855 when Lavalle made his classification of the Burgundy vineyards only a few vineyards outside the “main” appellations were classified as Téte de Cuvée.

One of these vineyards is located in Fixin and is unknown to most Burgundy connaisseurs today … Fixin La Perriére better known as Fixin Clos de la Perriére.

Photo: Fixin Clos de la Perriére seen from the top.

Téte de Cuvées in the 1855 classification

Fixin La Perriére was classified as Téte de Cuvée by Lavalle in 1855 – thus placed alongside some of the best terroirs in the region. The fine classification was confirmed by Rodier⁴ in 1920 – who classified the vineyard as premiéres cuvée.

Despite the fine classification by both Lavalle and Rodier – Fixin La Perriére has remained more or less unknown for many decades.

So lets take a closer look at this presumably interesting vineyard.

The location of Fixin La Perriére

Fixin La Perriére is located in the southern part of Fixin on the border to Brochon. The vineyard is 6.69 ha ²… but only 5.14² ha is planted with vines. The rest is used for the estate buildings, garden and park.

The Google map below show the location between Brochon and Fixin.

The history of Fixin La Perriére

The history of Fixin La Perriere is quite well documented. The first known ownership was the l’abbaye de Citeaux¹¹¹¹. In 1920 Rodier mention Pierre Joliet as owner of La Perriére⁴ – most likely decendants of Serrigny.

The estate is still owned by the Joliet family – currently under the management of Bénigne Joliet².

The vineyard Fixin Clos de la Perriére

The vineyard was already known as Clos de la Perriére in 1855 when Lavalle made his book. In 1855 the area was mentioned as 5 ha – but only 3.70 ha was used as vineyard¹.

Currently the terroir area is quoted as 6.69 ha² – thus expanded from the original vineyard and estate. The vineyard now include two adjacent terroirs – En Suchot (0.17 ha) and Queue de Hareng (1.62 ha) the latter is located in the Brochon appellation². Both terroirs are fully included in Clos de la Perriére – Queue de Hareng was included in 1979 – and at the same time promoted to 1er cru².

The map below show the four parts of Clos de la Perriére – the original parts located north and south of the estate and the two additions En Suchots (the small plot in the top of the vineyard) and Queue de Hareng.

The wines of Clos de la Perriére

I have not tasted any wines from Fixin Clos de la Perriére yet – so I can’t really comment on the current quality of the wines from this special vineyard..

The Joliet currently produce three wines from the vineyard – a village Fixin from the young vines of Clos de la Perriére – a white wine made from Chardonnay planted in 1994/95 and lastly a 1er cru Fixin Clos de la Perriére.

The vinification have according to Jasper Morris² been updated after the 2004 vintage and the owners have hired Phillipe Charlopin as consultant. Before this the wines were quite traditionally made by the Joliet family. According to some sources the price on the Fixin Clos de la Periére 1er cru was increased significantly from the 2004 vintage to the 2005 vintage in connection with the changes in vinification.

I have on rare occasions seem négociant bottlings of Fixin Clos de la Perriére:

• Moillard-Grivot; (1985, 1978, 1967, 1961, 1959)
• Joseph Drouhin: (2011, 2009)
• Dufouleur: (2001, 1993, 1978, 1976)

I have also identified a Charlopin-Parizot Fixin Cuvée la Perrière 2009 … most likely a result of the cooperation between Joliet and Philippe Charlopin.

References & Sources:

1. Jules Lavalle, Histoire et Statistique de la Vignes et Des Grands Vins de la Côte d’Or (1855)
2. Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy: Cote de Nuits
3. M.R. Danguy et M. Ch. Aubertin, Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne (1892)
4. Camille Rodier, Le Vin de Bourgogne (1920)
5. Clive Coates, Cote D’Or (1997)
6. Clive Coates, The Wines of Burgundy (2008)