Joseph Drouhin : Santenay 1er cru "Gravières" 2022

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Joseph Drouhin’s Santenay 1er cru "Gravières" 2022

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays an intense ruby hue with brilliant highlights.

Nose

The bouquet reveals lovely aromatic finesse. Small red berries express themselves with elegance: raspberry, strawberry and blackberry form the core of the profile. The 2022 vintage adds extra complexity with notes of black fruits such as blueberry, blackberry and blackcurrant, accompanied by floral touches of peony and violet.

Palate

The attack is generous and refined. The texture charms with its silky suppleness, supported by fine-quality tannins. The balance between breadth and finesse defines this wine, which combines structure and elegance. The finish lingers on fruity notes lifted by a hint of spice.

Serving and Cellaring

Santenay 1er cru "Gravières" 2022 is best enjoyed at a temperature of 16°C. Its optimal drinking window spans 8 to 13 years, with aging potential through 2037.

A Santenay Premier Cru Combining Fruit and Elegance

The Estate

Established in Beaune in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin, the Joseph Drouhin House began as a wine merchant before acquiring the prestigious Clos des Mouches in 1921. Now run by the founder’s great-grandchildren, including Véronique Drouhin-Boss, this family-owned Burgundy House farms 100 hectares, including 27 Grands Crus and 47 Premiers Crus. A member of Primum Familiæ Vini, it stands out for its early conversion to biodynamics and favors a style built on finesse and elegance.

The Vineyard

The Santenay vineyard lies to the east of the village, at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune. The vines of the Climat Gravières grow on clay-limestone soils typical of this part of Burgundy. The appellation takes its name from the Latin "grava", evoking the gravel that characterizes certain plots within this terroir.

Winemaking and Aging

The grapes for Santenay 1er cru "Gravières" 2022 are hand-harvested in perforated crates, then carefully sorted. Vinification begins with complete destemming, followed by fermentation and maceration lasting 2 to 3 weeks in small open vats with indigenous yeasts. This Burgundy wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels, 20 to 25% of which are new, sourced from French forests.

Grape Variety

Pinot Noir.