Winemaker Notes
Ruby red in color, this wine offers a precise, deep, and racy nose derived from whole-bunch vinification, reflecting both the quality of the fruit and the structure of the wine. The palate is elegant and harmonious, combining finesse with the expression of fruit and terroir. With ripe tannins, it is full-bodied and powerful yet retains elegance, delivering beautiful aromatic length and a refreshing finish, inviting patience to fully appreciate its complexity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Deep in color and brimming with black cherry, raspberry and violet aromas and flavors, this red is luscious and enticing. Shows tannins under the flesh and fruit, along with accents of spices and iron, yet this is approachable now. Drink now through 2033.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
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.