Winemaker Notes
The village of Santenay is located in the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, just after Chassagne Montrachet and just before the Côte Chalonnaise. The small village of Remigny adjoining that of Santenay to the north also produces wines under the Santenay name. The red Santenay is well constructed with good tannins, dark ruby in color, fruity (with almonds, strawberries, chestnuts, and prunes) and earthy on the palate.
It is an excellent partner for roasts, grilled or marinated red meat, game and traditional cheeses (medium strength). With its earthy notes, it goes extremely well with casseroled pigeon.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
One of the mainstays of the Louis Jadot range, this wine offers plenty of red-berry fruits allied to a good structure of tannins and minerality.
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.