Santenay Premier Cru 'Clos Rousseau' Rouge, Domaine Benoit Girardin 2022 vs Savigny-lès-Beaune 'Les Bas Liards', Maison Pierre Meurgey 2022
Compare current tracked prices, stockists and core specifications.
| Availability | In stock | In stock |
|---|---|---|
| Best current price | £39.80 | £39.80 |
| Current stockists | 1 merchant | 1 merchant |
| Producer | Domaine Benoit Girardin | Pierre Meurgey |
| Style | Red | Red |
| Grape | Pinot Noir | Pinot Noir |
| Region | — | Burgundy |
| Size | 750ml | 750ml |
| Where to buy |
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Santenay Premier Cru 'Clos Rousseau' 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. "1ha bordering Maranges of ferrous clay soils, giving wines with more power and structure. An open nose, quite rich and velvety, creamy damsons alongside red berry fruit and deeper spice notes and dried flowers. Attack is full of earthy red plums and just ripe hedgerow strawberries with a salty, herbaceous edge to the tannins and bright acidity. Controlled and precise with good focus but a pleasing gentility and generosity." Tom Harrow, Head Wine Guru
Savigny-lès-Beaune 'Les Bas Liards', Maison Pierre Meurgey 2022
Our second vintage from Pierre, who divides his time between vineyards in Macon and the Cote d’Or, the latter being made in Chateau de Bligny, formerly the winemaking base of Jane Eyre. Pierre characterises 2022 has having “ ripeness and preserved freshness" . He suggests that despite the hot year the wines do not have the same concentration as 2020 - which were more forced because of the early harvest, and instead show a greater natural balance, being made from “ happy fruit ” as he puts it. He notes the wines have gained more body during élévage but retain a fresher style than normal solar vintages. Head Wine Guru Tom's notes are a little brief as an unexpected appointment to taste the Hospices de Beaune 2023 wines at the cuverie prior to this year’s auction cut across our appointment so we raced through these wines with almost indecent haste! We highly suggest you take your time to appreciate them more leisurely as there is plenty to enjoy here. “A south-facing site between ‘Les Lavieres’ 1er Cru and the river Rhoin that bisects the village. Now organic, eight barrels were made, a larger one of which is new oak. Inky, generous nose, small black cherries and cedary earth, with pressed violets adding a more refined top note but this is a pretty substantial Savigny. The supple palate continues the cerise theme and shows more ripe blueberry, and tamarind, with a salty lick on anise on the finish.” Tom Harrow, Head Wine Guru
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