Winemaker Notes
Les Cents Vignes, “the Hundred Vines,” is a premier cru lying in the northern section of the Beaune amphitheater where the wines tend to be fresher and finer than wines from the southern section. Typically, the well-drained soils of Les Cents Vignes give delicate red berry aromas and a silky texture. Xavier Monnot’s 4.2 acre parcel was planted between 1960 and 1986. Aged from 12 to 14 months in 30-35% percent new French oak.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This perfumed red features intense aromas of graphite, violet, raspberry and cherry, picking up earth, iron and oak spice flavors on the palate. This is concentrated and structured, yet remains nimble as it lingers, ending with a resonant aftertaste.
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.”
While the city represents the epicenter of wine production in Burgundy, the term, “Beaune” also refers to the specific sub-appellation of the greater Côte de Beaune, whose vineyards climb up the pastoral slopes that border the city to its west. Originally founded as a Roman camp by Julius Caesar, the city of Beaune eventually became the seat of the dukes of Burgundy until the 13th century. Today it is home to top négociants such as Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Latour, and Bouchard Père et Fils.
The appellation, dominated by Pinot Noir plantings, represents a lovely and charming place to begin to understand red Burgundy. Its sandy soils create light and supple, floral driven Pinot Noir. These wines are designed to be enjoyed within five to 10 years. The vineyards of Beaune span a broad swath of Premier Crus from Savigny-lès-Beaune to its border with Pommard.
Chardonnay acreage here has been increasing here in the more recent years.