SANTENAY

Localization : Côte de Beaune
Total vineyard area : 379 ha. of which 124 ha. Premier Cru
Varieties and types of wine
pinot noir essentially, for the red wines
chardonnay for the white wines
Classification : Villages, Premier Cru

Premier Cru " climats " :

With an abundance of prehistoric remains (the stone and bronze ages have left numerous traces), Santenay also has a great historical legacy amongst which a castle built under Charles le Chauve which belonged to Philippe le Hardi in 1376 and a Romanesque church built in the 11th, 13th and 16th centuries (St Jean de Narosse). It was only at the end of the 13th century that the present-day name of Santenay appeared for the first time.

According to Messrs Danguy and Aubertin , the wines of Santenay "have everything which characterizes grands crus" (Les Grands Vins de Bourgogne - 1892). Indeed, the ground is on a good slope, at an altitude of 300 to 500 metres with a mixture of chalk and marl. Globally, the marl is deep, making it fertile thereby justifying pruning by the Cordon de Royat method (instead of the Guyot method widely used on the rest of the Côte d'Or) to obtain better maturity and limit the yield on slopes that are so well exposed that the vine is naturally generous. The wines of Santenay are usually robust with good structure and a mixture of scents (almond, chestnut, prune, cherry) and flowery fragrances (violet).

Photographic credit : Dominique Pernin