La Perriere is a Premier Cru climat in the southern part of Gevrey-Chambertin, just below the hill where the appellation's Grand Cru vineyards are situated. The vineyard's name, perrière, is a reference to its former occupation as a quarry, which has given rise to a good terroir for viticulture. Pinot Noir-based wines from La Perriere are medium-bodied with soft tannins and earthy red fruit characters.
The site covers six acres (2.5ha) at the foot of the Cote d'Or escarpment. The Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru climat lies along La Perriere's western edge, while the tiny Au Closeau vineyard occupies the northwest corner of the vineyard. To the east, there is a patchwork of vineyards sanctioned for use in basic Gevrey-Chambertin wines.
The land in this part of Gevrey-Chambertin slopes gently toward the east, a far cry from the steeper slopes of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru hill. This means that the vines are angled toward the morning sunshine, but do not have as much exposure as the vines higher on the hill. This means that the berries have less ripening influence from the sun, and the resultant wines are leaner and less concentrated.
La Perriere's stony soils are a throwback to when the vineyard was a quarry, a situation shared by many vineyards with similar names throughout Burgundy. Soil from the surrounding area was used to fill in the land and now light, loamy topsoil is underscored by free-draining calcareous stones. This encourages deep root growth and lessened vigor, which forces vines to concentrate energy into the production of high-quality grapes. These soils are an important part of the terroir, and help to distinguish the site as a Premier Cru climat.
