2020 Philippe le Hardi Santenay Mercurey Les Puillets 1er Cru

Château de Santenay is one of the largest wine estates in Burgundy. The imposing castle dates from the 9th century and was in the possession of Philippe le Hardi, Duke of Burgundy for part of the 14th century. He was the one who issued a decree that forms the basis of monocépage viticulture in Burgundy, which has resulted in the use of Pinot Noir instead of Gamay.

Château Philippe le Hardi owns 98 hectares of vineyards spread over the Côte d'Or and the Côte Chalonnaise. In total they make wine in 14 appellations, including Mercurey, Aloxe-Corton, Santenay, Pommard and Saint-Aubin. This wide spread over the area gives an enormous diversity of sub-climates and soil compositions, and with it the possibility to capture the different characters and styles of Burgundy in their wines. Attention to the environment and the preservation of healthy vineyards has been central to the philosophy of the house for more than 20 years. The château has been Terra Vitis certified since 2004 and is constantly looking for new opportunities to work as naturally as possible.

Until mid-2021, the name of the domain was 'Château de Santenay'. Due to a change of legislation in Burgundy in 2021, the name of the Santenay appellation is no longer allowed as a domain name. That is why the name has been 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 glow. In the nose, the wine has a nice balance between ripe red fruit such as blackberries and blueberries and the influence of wood aging is reflected in the scent of laurel and sweet herbs. The tannins are present, but already nicely matured. The taste is aromatic and rich, with an intensity and length that you would expect from a wine of this level.