Abbaye de Santenay Santenay Rouge Clos des Hautes 2016

Abbaye de Santenay was initially created in 1985 by Michel Clair who inherited part of the family domaine. His father's property, Domaine François Clair, was split into two (1 part given to Michel and the other part to the other son Denis). In 2001 Michel expanded the size of the property thanks to land he inherited from his uncle Louis Clair who had no children.

A new domaine (combining the two properties) called Domaine de l'Abbaye de Santenay was thus created. Domaine de l'Abbaye de Santenay (14 hectares) is today run by Ludovic Pierrot., the son-in-law of Michel Clair. Ludovic and his team carry on the effort and maintain the vines in a rigorous way to obtain high quality fruit. The philosophy of the domaine is to get the best of the terroirs, respecting nature and preserving the finesse of the wines. The domaine is certified Organic (Ecocert) and Biodynamic (Demeter).

Clos de Hauts vineyard is surrounded by 1er Cru vineyards and the town of Santenay, Whole Bunch plays a marked role in this wine along with minimal handing in winery creating a wine of freshness and vibrancy. PWS

Tasted from magnum, the 2016 Santenay Clos des Hâtes reveals scents of sweet berry fruit, currant leaf and raw cocoa. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a mineral finish. Like all of the domaine's 2016s, this is quite a concentrated, structured vintage, and especially in magnum, the wine will reward a little patience. WILLIAM KELLEY, eRobert.Parker.com.