SAINT-ROMAIN > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

SAINT-ROMAIN 2020

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2023

Varietal

Pinot Noir.

Tasting notes

Color: Elegant garnet red.
Nose: An expressive nose of small red fruits, strawberries and raspberries, with delicate woody notes.
Palate: A supple wine with a nice freshness and elegant tannins. Nicely fruity and delicately wood.

Food and wine pairing

A great companion to white meats and poultry in light sauces. Veal (stewed or plain fried chops) will also suit it very well as well as mild and creamy cheese such as the French Brillat-Savarin or Cîteaux.

Serving suggestions

Serve ideally at a temperature of 13 to 15°C. (55-59°F.).

Ageing potential

6 to 8 years and more in good storage conditions.

Origins

Saint-Romain is a Côte de Beaune appellation. The appellation area covers 93.3 hectares, of which 49.48 hectares are planted with white grapes and 43.82 hectares with red grapes. At the foot of its high cliff, Saint-Romain occupies an elevated position.

It was one of the first Celtic and Gallo-Roman vine sanctuaries in Burgundy. Established in 1947, the Saint-Romain appellation d'origine contrôlée is made from red (pinot noir) and white (chardonnay) grapes.

This vineyard takes up its position on the slope, making the most of its excellent soils. In this marl and limestone soil, the clay soils are perfectly suited to Chardonnay. The vines face south and south-east, at an altitude of between 280 and 400 metres.

Vinification and maturing

The Pinot Noir grapes were hand haversted, and sorted in the vineyard and then at the arrival in the cellar. They were then 100% destemmed and placed in thermo-regulared tanks for fermentation.

Then came 4 days of cold maceration (8°-10°C. = 46-50°F.) followed by the alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts, punching down twice a day with pumping over.

Maturing process occured during 12 months, a part in stainless steel tank and the other part (30% about) in oak barrels.

Vintage : 2020

The current public health crisis has certainly marked this year’s harvest, which nonetheless has been able to go ahead! Despite the year’s record temperatures and lack of rainfall, there is been no lack of quality, although yields are down, with an especially mixed picture with regard to reds. However, these have generally been very well-balanced. Overall, we have seen nice levels of acidity, promising good aging potential…

All over Burgundy, 2020 was notable for its mildness and low rainfall. After a winter with no serious frosts, we went straight into a spring dominated by sunny, dry weather, resulting in very early bud break. Infrequent outbreaks of rain in June and July were not enough to stave off water shortages. Very high summer temperatures combined with intense sun exposure levels led to the vines gradually falling prey to hydric stress, causing delays to fruit ripening before harvest-time.

Once again, the vegetative cycle was shortened, being almost three weeks ahead of 2019’s. Thankfully, the harvest was saved by the relative cool of the nights. The harvest was of marvellous quality but there was very little juice in the red grapes (reduction of 30 to 50%), and reasonable potential alcohol, despite the heat. The whites, on the other hand, coped very well with these extreme conditions and yields were very good.

Relatively poor yields for the reds, normal yields for the whites. Some appellations achieved excellent levels of optimal ripeness, with 50% of grapes harvested with the ‘vendange entière’ (no destemming) approach.

Harvest started on the 21^stAugust for the Côte Chalonnaise, more specifically, the Givry reds and then on the 23^rd of August the first Chardonnay grapes were handpicked in the shape of the Beaune 1^er cru Les Marconnets.