Winemaker Notes
Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the majestic stately home of the first Duke of Burgundy. This historic estate is one of Burgundy’s most prestigious producers with its colorful glazed roof tiles. Working in a very natural way, they farm their 200+ acres of vineyards throughout the Côte d’Or and Côte Chalonnaise. Their wines are distinctive and reflect the delicate complexities of each unique vineyard site. For the last 20 years, the domaine has been taking an environmentally-friendly approach to growing, proving itself to be a true pioneer in this respect. It has been TERRA VITIS certified since 2004 and was certified by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2009 for its use of sustainable growing methods. In 2015, it was one of the first wine domaines to receive ‘High Environmental Value’ (HEV 3) certification respecting a new set of specifications issued by the French Ministry of Agriculture. In 2016, the domaine set up an apiary close to the vineyards in order to verify that the techniques used were harmless to bees, which are very sensitive to the environment. Plans are already in place to introduce more hives.
Beloved for its deep and flavorful reds made of Pinot Noir, Mercurey is the largest and most important village in the Côte Chalonnaise of Burgundy with most of its vineyards tucked away in hillsides or stretched along the aptly-named “Golden Valley.” This valley, sheltered from the moist and cool air that funnels along at lower elevations, is ideal for ripening Pinot noir.
Mercurey follows strict yield laws, similar to those at the Côte d’Or village level, promoting the development of deep, full, concentrated and age-worthy Pinot noirs. In their youth, a chewy and rich structure supports flavors of ripe strawberry, raspberry and cherry. Age brings notes of underbrush, tobacco and cocoa.
While Pinot Noir claims the majority of Mercurey vineyard acreage, Chardonnay does grow here and produces uniqely floral and spicey scented white wines.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.