VOLNAY-SANTENOTS, 1ER CRU, CUVEE GAUVAIN

BURGUNDY, FRANCE 2018

Once a year, on the third Sunday of November, wine collectors from around the globe gather in the heart of Beaune to participate in the world-renowned wine auction that has been held since 1859. This historic, celebratory occasion gives participants the chance to acquire some of the most allocated and exceptional reds and whites from Burgundy, with proceeds going towards medical treatments and ensuring patients of the Hospices the best possible care. Over the years, the Hospices’ vineyard holdings have grown through vineyard donations and reflect some of the greatest terroir in all of Burgundy, with 85% of the vineyards consisting of Premier and Grand Cru sites. At the 158th Hospices de Beaune wine auction, we were fortunate enough to secure a few barrels from the 2018 vintage - a vintage that could become "one of the region's all time great vintages" (Tim Atkin, Decanter) - and today’s Volnay-Santenots 1er Cru Cuvee Gauvain marks our first offering of the year.

Some of the most rewarding wines in the Cote de Beaune are, without a doubt, those of Volnay. Certainly standing out among the reds of the region, the wines of Volnay truly are the embodiment of elegance: seductive, supple and fragrant. Playing the perfect foil to the rustic, muscular wines of the neighboring Pommard, Volnay is often described as “the lipstick imprint of a kiss,” with soft, velvety-smooth tannins and a distinct, aromatic intensity that exudes sophistication and finesse.

Situated high on the hill of Chaignot, the village occupies narrow, steeply sloping land with highly valued vineyards that have been coveted for centuries, even securing a place at the royal table of Louis XII of France. As one of the smaller villages, Volnay is split with Pommard on one side and Monthelie and Meursault on the other, with a complex geology that has come to define the region. Our wine today brings us to the Meursault side of the village, on the border of Les Caillerets and En Chevret, to the commune of Santenots. Lying on Bathonian limestone – an incredibly hard soil that is red in color and comprised largely of stone -  our wine comes from the climat of Les Santenots du Milieu, one of the thirty-five Premier Crus in the region that stands head and shoulders above the rest, with a delicate and pure expression of fruit. Compared to the surrounding climats, Les Santenots produces the richest and fullest styles of wine with incredible depth and wonderful ageability.

Today, our 2018 Volnay-Santenots 1er Cru Cuvee Gauvain is considered one of the greatest glories of the Hospices de Beaune, named after one of its most generous donors, Bernard Gauvain, who left all his worldly goods to the Hospice de la Charite in 1804. As a future still ageing gracefully in the cellars of Au Pied du Mont Chauve in Chassagne-Montrachet, the wine will ship directly from France in 2020, with 6 bottle orders coming in their original wooden case. With only forty-eight 6-packs available, this limited, allocated wine is a must for any wine lover’s collection.