Santenay Blanc, Sous La Roche, Domaine Bachey-Legros, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France, 2022 

Grape: 100% Chardonnay, 25 year old vines, hand harvested, barrel fermented, oak matured (30% new wood) for 12 months with regular batonnage (lees-stirring)

Producer Tasting Note:

A full bodied, rounded and rich white Burgundy with buttery notes and fresh acidity providing an elegant finish. Good minerality in the wine due to the stony soil. Capable of ageing up to 7 years.

The Estate: 19 hectares of prime vineyards, which have expanded with each subsequent generation, are planted on the best sites in Santenay, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Les Maranges, where the finest qualities of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are expressed. This is particularly true of those vines planted between 1935 and 1955, which have been lovingly tended, decade after decade. Established in the 19th century, the current (6th) generation of the family to handle the running of the domaine are Samuel and Lénaïc.

Vineyard: The appellation sits above the Santenay “Beaurepaire” premier crus. The 0.5 ha vineyard "Sous la Roche", planted in 2000, lives up to its name, being very close to the bedrock and surrounded by old dry stone walls. Another special feature of this terroir is that the pebbles on the surface absorb the heat during the day and release it back up at night, resulting in beautifully ripe grapes and a lovely smooth wine. Chardonnay was planted here to take advantage of all these natural qualities.

Food Match: Drink as an aperitif, or with white meats in a cream sauce, grilled or baked fish, hard cheeses (Comté)