Santenay Rouge, Les Héritiers Saint-Genys

Supple lifted Burgundy Pinot from the most southerly appellation of the Côte de Beaune

Burgundy is renowned for being a jigsaw of small plots, fitting side by side across the rolling côtes and crus, each with many different owners – the result of Napoleonic inheritance laws that divide estates equally between heirs. While some heirs want to make wine, others prefer to live their lives elsewhere, meaning that their plots go untended.

Enter Patrice du Jeu, a Parisian restaurateur with the dynamism and energy to revive such plots and also a descendant of the Saint-Genys family. Together with other members of his family and some of his friends, he managed to buy several of these neglected parcels of vines in excellent terroirs of the Côte de Beaune, including Santenay, Chassagne-Montrachet and the monopole of Clos Marcilly in Mercurey. Teaming up with white Burgundy expert Jean-Baptise Alinc, the wines of these heirs – Les Héritiers – are both technically highly competent and beautifully crafted.

Santenay is the most southerly appellation of the Côtes de Beaune. In the ‘Prarons Dessous’ climat on clay and silt soils lies a 2 hectare parcel of 50 year old Pinot Noir vines, from which this lovely Santenay Rouge is produced. Hand harvested to allow immediate sorting, and fully destemmed, fermentation is in tank before the wine is matured in oak barrels (15% of which are new) for 13 months. Expressive, ripe and sweetly – fruited on the nose. The palate offers more fresh berries, fine tannins and concentration with beautiful structure.

Colour – Red
Producer – Les Héritiers Saint-Genys
Country – France
Region – Burgundy
Vegan – Yes
ABV – 13%
Grapes – Pinot Noir
Vintage – 2020
Sustainability – Non-Organic
Female Winemaker – No
Food Pairings – Grilled lamb, Game