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Red Wine

Domaine Borgeot Santenay 1er Cru 'Les Gravieres' 2021

Appellation
Santenay 1er Cru
Region
Côte de Beaune
Vintage
2021
In Stock
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$59.00
 
SKU: EBOR08R-21
Overview

Not surprisingly, this Borgeot Santenay 1er Cru 'Gravieres' red comes from the same vineyard as their Santenay 1er 'Gravieres' white, just further down the slope where the soil becomes denser and red. ‘Gravieres’ is one vineyard with two different soil types, apt for two different wines. Sadly, many producers have succumbed to the temptation of the bottom line, and have replanted Chardonnay where there should be Pinot Noir. But not the Borgeots! Their 'Gravieres' red is their signature Pinot, with ripe dark fruits tinged with chocolate and coffee, rich, powerful and fat right through the lingering note of pure blackberry.

 

Winemaker
Vintage
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BURGUNDY 2021 VINTAGE

Nothing abides. Just as we Burgundy purists begrudgingly acknowledged the vitality and variety of the three previous hot-weather vintages, along came 2021, classic Burgundy with its frost, damp and low yields.

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Way back when, in pre-climate-change conditions, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay would struggle, year after year, to come to maturity in what was this, the northernmost spot in Europe where grapes could ripen enough to make still wine. That struggle was, in fact, the very definition of viticulture in Burgundy (chaptalization notwithstanding).

But then weather patterns started to change, not drastically, but gradually: milder winters and earlier springs; hotter summers and earlier autumns. By the time we got to 2018, then 2019 and then 2020, those mild winters were breeding grounds for mildew, the early springs were prone to killer frosts, those hot summers forced ripeness onto reticent grapes varieties, and early autumns left little time to the winemaker to sort it all out.

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If this all sounds like an accident waiting to happen, hang on to your hat; it’s all perspective.

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2018 was wet, wet, wet through winter and up to mid-April. Then an explosive bud-burst sent the winemakers scurrying to control the vegetation. But then it got hot, hot, south-of-Spain hot, and mildew never stood a chance. Early harvest, no health issues. Big crop. Great vintage.

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2019 was wet through the winter. Early bud burst, then frost took part of the crop. A warm set up flowering, but cold weather set in, taking another part of the crop. Then it got hot and very dry. Well-tend vines and, especially, old vines did well because there was last winter’s water in the water table, and good vines can go deep for water. Hot, healthy harvest.  Great really ripe vintage.

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2020 was precocious. Mild wet winter. Bud burst in mid-April. From that point on, there is not much to report weatherwise. It was hot and dry from June through to the end. Harvest started in August. Indeed, there was more stress on the winemakers than there was on the vines. When to pick? Overall, great vintage both white and red.

See a pattern?

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And 2021…well in 2021 things returned to ‘normal’ (if such a thing is possible in Burgundy!) First came devastating frosts in the early part of April, which were followed by a cool May, leading to a damp summer with the ever-present threat of hail.

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Chardonnay was more affected than Pinot Noir in that the red grapes come into leaf later. What all this means for the Burgundy harvest is that it will be a story of low yields (miniscule in places) and a late harvest.

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When the older winemakers talk about what to expect this year, words such as ‘historic’ are used and comparisons are drawn with the harvest of 1970.

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Some say we could be down 30% on 2020s already low yields. But it isn’t all bad news. Winemakers are nothing if not hardy, and their optimism cannot be shaken that easily. Fewer grapes on the vine means that those which have survived should have an intensity of flavor which sets them apart and may mark this harvest out as extraordinary. There may be other upsides, too: because the harvest is later, the grapes have had more ‘hang time’ which could mean good phenolic maturity.

Appellation

SANTENAY

COTE DE BEAUNE

Santenay lies at the southern extremity of the Côte de Beaune. In days gone by it was a well-known spa town. Today there is still water around: the area is bordered by the Canal du Centre, and on the other side of the water is the department of Saone et Loire and the first vines of the Cote Chalonnaise'. The wines of Santenay and neighboring Remigny present discernible differences according to which part of the appellation they come from. If you use the windmill up the slope in premier cru Beauregard as a point of reference, the hills behind rise sharply, and the soil make-up and expositions become complex as the hillside spreads out. Seen from up there, the village of Santenay sits in a valley with hills rising on both sides.

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Produced in the communes of Santenay and Remigny, appellation Santenay includes 12 premiers crus.

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Wines

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Santenay produces mainly red wine, though the whites, especially the premiers crus, can be remarkable. Color should be a dark brilliant black-cherry. The bouquet is floral up front, with red fruits and a hint of liquorice. The attack is deep and intense, with firm but discreet tannins and body that is supple and fine-textured. Old style Santenay was considered rustic, but the present generation has learned to deal with tannins. White Santenay should be brilliant green tinted gold, mineral and floral and fresh. It can be grassy and nutty, and has a minerality that carries freshness to a long finish.

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Terroirs

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Greyish limestone makes up the high ground up to a height of 500 meters. Lower down the slope, starting at the 300 meter line, is oolitic limestone, white oolite, marls, kidney-shaped limestone, and lower oolite on a layer of marl. The location of the vineyards is ideal with exposures between east and south.

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Color

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Nearly all reds - Pinot Noir

White wines - Chardonnay

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Production surface area

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1 hectare (ha) = 2.4 acres

Reds : 282.35 ha (including 110.84 ha premier cru)

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Whites : 46.96 ha (including 12.63 ha premier cru)

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Food

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The supple and intense attack of Santenay red, and its aromatic register make it a match for slow-cooked dishes like braised veal or beef, to which its tannins will lend structure without being aggressive. Glazed or roasted poultry would also work, as would grilled or barbecued meats. As for cheese, Brie de Meaux, Pont-l'Evêque, Cîteaux, Reblochon, most any cheese really will work with the density and tannic structure.

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White Santenay, with its lightness, vivacity and edge would be a good choice for fluid and melty dishes like fish couscous, or pasta or risotto with mushrooms. Poultry in cream sauce would be similarly successful. It works well with cheeses like Comté and Beaufort, as well as goat cheeses.

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Appellations

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On the label, the appellations 'Santenay' and 'Santenay 1er Cru' may be followed by the name of a specific vineyard, known as a climat.

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The following climats are classified as premier cru:

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Beauregard

Beaurepaire

Clos de Tavannes

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Clos des Mouches

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Clos Faubard

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Clos Rousseau

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Grand Clos Rousseau

La Comme

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La Maladière

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Les Gravières

Les Gravières-Clos de Tavannes

Passetemps

The following climats are village wines from a single vineyard, known as a lieu-dit:

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Bellefon

Bieveaux

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Botaveau

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Clos Genet

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Comme Dessus

Croix Sorine

Derrière les Crais

En Aiguisey

En Boichot

En Charron

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En Foulot

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En Gatsulard

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La Cassière

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La Comme

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La Plice

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Le Chainey

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Le Haut Village

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Le Village

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Les Brâs

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Les Champs Claudes

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Les Charmes Dessous

Les Charmes Dessus

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Les Cornières

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Les Crais

Les Hâtes

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Les Pérolles

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Les Potets

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Les Prarons-Dessous

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Les Prarons-Dessus

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Les Saunières

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Les Vaux Dessus

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Saint-Jean

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Sous la Fée

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Sous la Roche

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$59.00
 
SKU: EBOR08R-21
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