This nearly millennial Clos has a unique history.
Before becoming a wine estate, these lands belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy.
It was a hunting lodge, the plot was covered with forest, and only the northern part of the manor existed.
In 1142, Duke Eudes II made a donation to his brother Henri, a monk at the Abbey of Cîteaux.
The monks settled in and recognized the great wine potential of the area.
They decided to enlarge the building and construct the cellars and the winery beneath it.
The monks then exploited the cliff facing what would later become the manor, and the place naturally took the name “Perrière” (from the Old French word for “quarry”).
Next, five hectares of vines were planted around the building, enclosed by walls, forming the Clos de la Perrière.
Four and a half hectares were planted with red grapes (now Pinot Noir) to the south, on the slope facing due east.
On the opposite side, in the coldest and most limestone-rich part of the estate, 0.5 hectares were planted with white grapes (now Chardonnay).
As early as the 12th century, the monks understood the science of soils, terroirs, and climates and distinguished these two sections, separated by less than 100 meters.
The Cistercians cultivated the Clos de la Perrière for nearly 500 years before selling the estate in 1622.
Several families succeeded each other until the Joliet family, who bought the entire Clos in 1853.
For seven generations, the Joliet family has managed the Clos de la Perrière as a monopoly, producing both white and red wines, which are now classified as Premier Cru.
