D. Zylberberg
David Zylberberg
Most of the Volnay Santenots I've had are dark, big wines, especially for Volnay. But it occurs to me that it could be producer, not vineyard, creating that impression. The Santenots you see most commonly in the US are Lafon, Prieur, and Ampeau. Ampeau is sort of sui generis (and I've never had that bottling); Lafon and Prieur, in my experience, have a house style of bigger, more modern burgs that shows in the Santenots. You also see bottles from Girardin - modern styled, of course - and then Matrot, whose wine is much more delicate/red, but of course, thats how Matrot rouges often are. (Does Matrot add a dollop of Pinot Gris to the Santenots? I think they do to the Meursault-Blagny rouge.) In my (limited)experience, the Hospices cuvee is also big wine, especially when Bouchard bottles it.
I've never had the Leroy Santenots, but from reputation I would guess that tastes more like Leroy than Santenots. Sylvie Esmonin makes a Santenots, and that'll be an oak-bomb (apologies in advance to Sylvie Esmonin defenders).
So my question is: what is Santenots rouge "supposed" to taste like? The "icon" Volnay producers don't make it; at least, not in any quantities that reach the US. Angerville only makes Santenots blanc. Lafarge doesn't make Santenots, but makes the CdB-V which is from the vineyard immediately downslope of Santenots, and that wine is very pale and austere. AFAIK, there's no Montille or Pousse Santenots.
You would think, based on what's out there, that Santenots makes a darker, more forward wine than most Volnay. But it's right next to Caillerets, and there's a huge diversity of style coming from there (compare Angerville to Bouchard; I've never had the Pousse(s) or the Lafarge but I presume they also have something to say). If, say, Lafarge made a Santenots, would it be like Caillerets? Or is the terroir fundamentally different?
I've never had the Leroy Santenots, but from reputation I would guess that tastes more like Leroy than Santenots. Sylvie Esmonin makes a Santenots, and that'll be an oak-bomb (apologies in advance to Sylvie Esmonin defenders).
So my question is: what is Santenots rouge "supposed" to taste like? The "icon" Volnay producers don't make it; at least, not in any quantities that reach the US. Angerville only makes Santenots blanc. Lafarge doesn't make Santenots, but makes the CdB-V which is from the vineyard immediately downslope of Santenots, and that wine is very pale and austere. AFAIK, there's no Montille or Pousse Santenots.
You would think, based on what's out there, that Santenots makes a darker, more forward wine than most Volnay. But it's right next to Caillerets, and there's a huge diversity of style coming from there (compare Angerville to Bouchard; I've never had the Pousse(s) or the Lafarge but I presume they also have something to say). If, say, Lafarge made a Santenots, would it be like Caillerets? Or is the terroir fundamentally different?