Santenay Rouge, Domaine Benoit Girardin, 2022

An exciting new talent to add to the Honest Grapes roster, who is already making waves in France, and we are thrilled to introduce into the UK: The Girardin family claim thirteen generations of winemakers and Yves Girardin, like his siblings was given 3ha of vines which he subsequently grew to 21ha, purchasing the family property Chateau de de la Charriere in Santenay 2003.

His son Benoit created his own domaine in 2020, with 8 hectares of prime vineyards from his father’s holdings, including plots in Savigny-Les-Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Pommard. He started harvesting on 1st September as prefers balanced rather than too high acidity, and the grapes were 100% destemmed, with fermentations in steel, no pigeage, and the wines subsequently raised in 10-30% new oak. So far, so standard – there is nothing on paper which would make the range stand out… BUT there are some tastings which raise the level of energy in a room – and this was tasting was simply electric – the wines showing a sophistication, and silken elegance quite rare at this level, at once pretty but gourmand, precise and generous at the same time.

The whole range comes extremely highly recommended, these are wines to get in the cellar at the beginning of the domaine’s trajectory, whilst prices are attractive and allocations plentiful.

"From 1 ha of vines. At the beginning of my wine career I came across a 1999 village Santenay (from Lequin-Colin) and encouraged everyone to buy as much as they could, whether as a party wine if they normally bought higher level Burgundies, or as a great opener if they were starting to exploring the region. Nearly a quarter of a century later I’ve found another that fits the bill! The nose offers bright red cherries, strawberry compote, baking spices, cacao nibs, violets, and touch of fresh cut pine. The palate is sappy, silky, rounded and supple with red plums and blood orange, cedary, spicy textured tannins, and a lightly salted anise finish. Pretty and notably high-toned for Santenay."
Tom Harrow, Head Wine Guru