SAINT-ROMAIN > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

SAINT-ROMAIN 2021

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2022 2023 2024

Varietal

100% Pinot Noir.

Tasting notes

Color: Garnet red.

Nose: Very expressive nose showing small red fruits aromas as strawberries and raspberries, and 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 grapes were harvested by hand and sorted in the vineyards, then on arrival at the winery. They were then 100% de-stemmed and placed in thermoregulated vats for fermentation. This was followed by 4 days of cold maceration (8-10°C / 64-68°F) and then alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts, punching down of the cap twice a day and pumping over. The wine was matured for 12 months, partly in stainless steel vats and partly (around 30%) in oak barrels.

Vintage : 2021

The 2021 vintage was a challenge for winegrowers right up until the very last day. From the frost in April, made worse by a very early start to the winegrowing season, right through to the September harvest, it was characterized by some brutal shifts in the weather. Winegrowers had to be extremely reactive and attentive. The only moment of respite came with flowering, which was ideal for fruit formation, and véraison, which was accompanied by sunshine from mid-August. In the end, hard work was rewarded with success, low volumes aside.

Aside from the low yields due to frost, and hail in June in certain parts of the Mâconnais, the grapes were sorted meticulously, both in the vines and in the winery.

Anyway, 2021 is an interesting vintage to work as it requires great technical skill and vinification must be very precise. Although fermentation was rapid, one had to pay a great deal of attention to the extraction of tannins and colour for the reds, and to the aromatic balance of the whites. The impression from the first tastings is that the musts have good aromatic potential and the sugar-acidity ratio suggests a style appreciated by fans of Bourgogne wines.