Winemaker Notes
Santenay blanc is an intriguing wine with a beguiling profile of white flowers, yellow fruits and citrusy acidity. Enjoy with fresh salmon, swordfish or herb-crusted pork roast.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Nicolas Potel has a real talent for producing super white wines in so-called lesser terroirs, such as this Santenay lieu-dit, using larger oak barrels to complement rather than dominate the fruit. It's oatmealy, sappy and fresh, with notes of beeswax, citrus peel and white flowers. Drinking Window 2019 - 2023
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Wine Enthusiast
A touch of flinty reduction joins wheat bran and lemon on the nose of this wine. The palate favors that pure lemon note that sets a tone of clarity and poise. Slightly creamy the gentle texture adds to the harmony and balance. The finish is dry, lasting and fresh.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
In the far southern end of the Côte de Beaune, Santenay forms a little notch that juts into the otherwise straight border with Côte Chalonnaise.
Santenay red wines show the true essence of red Burgundy at good price points and without demanding a lot of cellar time. Enticing aromas of rose-petal, violet, red fruits and licorice lead to sturdiness on the palate. With soils rich in oolitic limestone and marl, this is the home of well-constructed, hearty Pinot noir and represents a fantastic region to explore if you are just beginning your understanding of red Burgundy.
Reputable vineyards of Santenay include La Maladière, as well as the Premier Crus of La Comme, Clos de Tavannes, and Les Gravières.