Domaine Raymond Dupont-Fahn
Son of Michel, Raymond has in just a short career as winemaker, produced some stunningly great wines from humble appellations - Auxey and Bourgogne. His most unique cuvee is the Bourgogne Chaumes des Perrieres, from a vineyard adjoining Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrieres, but only classified as appellation Bourgogne. 40 year-old vines, low yields and barrel fermentation, in the hands of Raymond, yield perhaps the greatest "Bourgogne" blanc in the world.
Peter Weygandt
The words below were written by Raymond Dupont-Fahn:
May I take this opportunity to introduce myself and my family. My name is Raymond Dupont-Fahn and I am the fifth generation of wine maker and have worked closely to my both my father and my grand father from an early age.
My mother is originally from Los Angeles and met my father at a tasting in 1976. At that time, he was on a "stage" working for Domaine Michelot and she was on a business trip with her boss Alexis Lichine. After a brief return to the United States, she returned to marry my father.
After my "Bac d'Oenologie" diploma at 21, I started to manage my own Domaine of five hectares. With in this Domaine, I have a vineyard which I find to be of particular interested. The unplanted land was purchased by my grand father in 1975 with the appellation Mersault le "Dos d'Ane". Part of the terrain also lies on les "Chaumes des Perrières". My grand father realised that the soil was not deep enough to plant correctly and asked the permission of the "I.N.A.O." to add another 20 cm of top soil. This was granted to him and this vineyard was completed.
This seemed to cause some what a scandal with the other viticulteur of Meursault who got together and had it declassified to Bourgogne blanc as it remains today. However the 27 years old roots lie very deeply below the earth and rock of the original Le dos d'âne appellation and benefits greatly from the climate of "Les Perrières".