Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots AOC 2023

A Premier Cru that balances fruit and grip: cherry fruit, floral nuances and a cool, earthy note define the profile, the tannins are finely milled, and the finish stays long and mineral. Power and precision come together here.

Les Santenots is a special case within the Côte de Beaune: the parcels lie within Meursault's boundaries, yet the red wines may be marketed as Volnay, the result of an agreement dating back many years. The limestone- and clay-rich slopes on the northern edge of Volnay produce wines with substance and ageing potential. The domaine farms nine hectares from its base in Meursault.

Pure Pinot Noir. The domaine's wines age for around fifteen months in 600-litre barrels from the Austrian cooper Stockinger, crafted from French, Austrian and Slavonian oak; only about a fifth is renewed each year, followed by rest in tank. "The wood should support the wine, not dominate it," says Rémi Jobard. The wine is bottled unfiltered, with stability coming from two winters of ageing rather than technical intervention.

Juicy red cherry and raspberry meet silky, fine-grained tannins, while the acidity keeps the wine taut. Wild berries, violet and a hint of clove linger in the aftertaste. Serve at around sixteen degrees and decant beforehand; a few years in the cellar will pay off.

With Burgundian cuisine: coq au vin, duck breast with cherries or beef fillet in red wine jus. Equally good with partridge, braised veal, rack of lamb with an herb crust, mushroom ragout and aged Époisses.

The domaine has worked without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides since 1994, and without herbicides since 1998. The vine rows are worked by hand and cover-cropped, no fertiliser is applied, and cordon pruning limits yields. 13.5% vol., dry.