2021 Philippe le Hardi Santenay Mercurey 1er Cru Les Puillets

Château de Santenay is one of the largest wine estates in Burgundy. The imposing castle dates back to the 9th century and was owned by Philippe le Hardi, Duke of Burgundy, for part of the 14th century. He issued a decree that formed the basis for single-varietal wine production in Burgundy, resulting in the use of Pinot Noir instead of Gamay.

Château Philippe le Hardi owns 98 hectares of vineyards spread across the Côte d'Or and Côte Chalonnaise. They produce wine in 14 appellations, including Mercurey, Aloxe-Corton, Santenay, Pommard, and Saint-Aubin. This extensive distribution across the region creates a tremendous diversity of subclimates and soil compositions, and thus the opportunity to capture the various characters and styles of Burgundy in their wines. Attention to the environment and the preservation of healthy vineyards has been central to the estate's philosophy for over 20 years. The château has been Terra Vitis certified since 2004 and is constantly exploring new ways to work as naturally as possible.

Until mid-2021, the estate was called "Château de Santenay." Due to a change in Burgundy law in 2021, the Santenay appellation is no longer permitted as a domain name. Therefore, the name was changed to "Château Philippe le Hardi."

In the glass, the Château de Santenay Mercurey Les Puillets 1er Cru has a garnet-red color with a light purple hue. On the nose, the wine offers a beautiful balance of ripe red fruit like blackberry and blueberry, while the influence of oak aging is evident in aromas of laurel and sweet spices. The tannins are present, yet nicely mature. The palate is aromatic and rich, with the intensity and length you would expect from a wine of this caliber.