[pehr-NAHN vehr-zhuh-LEHSS] A lesser-known wine-producing village at the northern end of the côte de beaune district in France's burgundy region. The most celebrated wines come from the vineyards on Montagne de Corton, a vast hill rising above the village. The area's red wines, made from pinot noir grapes, and white wines, made from chardonnay grapes (and a small amount from aligoté grapes), are both highly regarded-the reds slightly more than the whites. Pernand-Vergelesses shares two grands crus-corton (red wines) and corton-charlemagne (white wines)-with the villages of aloxe-corton and ladoix-serrigny. Wines from these two grands crus are ranked among the world's finest. The red wines from Corton are considered some of the best and longest aging in Burgundy, and Corton-Charlemagne's whites are compared to other top white wines from the region. Pernand Vergelesses also has a number of fine premier cru vineyards including En Caradeux, Île des Vergelesses, Les Vergelesses, and Les Fichots. The wines produced under the general village appellation of Pernand Vergelesses AC are generally of good quality and usually less expensive than some of Burgundy's other village wines. Wine produced from the premier cru vineyards can append "Premier Cru" to the label or the name of the vineyard as in Pernand-Vergelesses Île des Vergelesses.
