Chanson Pere & Fils Santenay Beauregard Premier Cru 2020
- Decanter
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Bright ruby color. Fragrances of violet mixed with aromas of ripe red berries (cherry) on a hint of spices and a delicate vanilla note. Complex and silky. Deep texture. Elegant tannins. Long and generous finish.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Lovely, forward plummy fruit, and a pleasantly round texture backed up by silky tannins and no evidence of astringency. Well done. Picked early enough to have a fairly modest (for the year) alcohol of 13.2%. The hectare of vines in Beauregard are located high on slope in very little soil directly on the limestone. The fruit was destemmed (contrary to normal practice) and is being aged in 25% new casks.
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James Suckling
It's often said that pinot noir and red Burgundy smell of cherries, but its seldom as clearly obvious as in the nose of this wine. Good depth and freshness, the healthy tannin structure supporting the medium-bodied palate very well. Plenty of licorice, meaty and savory character at the long, moderately dry finish.
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Wine Spectator
This racy red is highlighted by saturated flavors of black cherry, blackberry, violet and earth. Packs a line of beefy tannins underneath, finishing on the tight, tannic side.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling
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Wilfred
Wong
Founded in 1750, Chanson is one of the five grand "shippers" of Burgundy's Côte d'Or- an estate steeped in centuries-old tradition and rich in viticultural history. As a négociant (winemaker and merchant) and a domaine (vineyard estate), Chanson has represented the best of Burgundy for more than 250 years, growing its own grapes, partnering with other growers, bottling, selling, and shipping its own wines.
Chanson's holdings comprise some of Burgundy's most coveted vineyards. Located in the heart of the Côte de Beaune (the historical center of Burgundy) and surrounded by some of the greatest vineyards in the world, Chanson can count French philosophe Voltaire, romantic poet Lamartine, and the Bonaparte family among its clients.
Its celebrated bastion, a 15th-century fortress first rented and then acquired in 1794 to cellar the wines, is an internationally celebrated icon of Burgundy (the largest of six bastions that form part of the wall surrounding the city of Beaune).
To visit Chanson is to travel back in time and experience the magic of the 1000-year-old tradition of winemaking. Chanson still vinifies and cellars its wines in the bastion as it has for over 200 years. The 10-meter thick walls of this ancient fortress make it ideal for winemaking.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
In the far southern end of the Côte de Beaune, Santenay forms a little notch that juts into the otherwise straight border with Côte Chalonnaise.
Santenay red wines show the true essence of red Burgundy at good price points and without demanding a lot of cellar time. Enticing aromas of rose-petal, violet, red fruits and licorice lead to sturdiness on the palate. With soils rich in oolitic limestone and marl, this is the home of well-constructed, hearty Pinot noir and represents a fantastic region to explore if you are just beginning your understanding of red Burgundy.
Reputable vineyards of Santenay include La Maladière, as well as the Premier Crus of La Comme, Clos de Tavannes, and Les Gravières.