Saint-Romain blanc "Perrière" AOC 2022

This Chardonnay is cool-toned and direct: fresh, juicy, with a fine smokiness from the reductive ageing and a creamy texture from the lees. Dry, 12.5% vol.

The Perrière climat lies near the village of Saint-Romain in Burgundy, on a hillside facing the valley. The 40-year-old vines face east at 320 to 350 metres of altitude. The name comes from the strong presence of limestone rocks, on calcareous colluvium.

Pure Chardonnay, hand harvested and pressed as whole clusters. Fermentation starts spontaneously in oak, as does the malolactic fermentation in the barrels. Ageing lasts ten to twelve months in 228-, 350- and 500-litre barriques and tonneaux, in concrete eggs and WineGlobes, with a maximum of 10% new oak. Frédéric Buisson tastes daily and racks the barrels whenever he judges it necessary. The wine is fined with bentonite, filtered only very lightly, and sulphured solely at bottling with a maximum of 40 to 50 mg/l total sulphite.

White-fleshed fruit carries the wine: green and yellow pear, greengage, a touch of pineapple, a few splashes of lime, followed by stone, petrichor and a hint of pastry. On the palate, the oak lends spice and complexity, citrus peel sets a tangy accent, while the lees bring creaminess to an otherwise taut, linear finish.

With saag paneer with coconut milk, cardamom, mustard greens and roti, with honey-glazed mushrooms with udon and broccoli, or with Moroccan lemon chicken with fennel.

The Buisson family farms its 13 hectares in Saint-Romain, Santenay and Beaune biodynamically; Henri Buisson introduced this practice in 1990. Saint-Romain's high altitude brings cool nights and an extended ripening period.