Labouré-Roi’s Santenay Premier Cru Beaurepaire

The history of the Labouré-Roi wine house is closely tied to Nuits-Saint-Georges, where it was founded in 1832. It has since forged long-term partnerships with numerous Burgundy winegrowers.

The house winemaker, Brigitte Putzu, tells us about her favorite wine of the moment, which is a Santenay Premier Cru Beaurepaire 2019 from the Côte de Beaune.

“It’s powerful yet refined; a wine with a perfect balance between fruit and subtle oak. A great white wine that stands shoulder to shoulder with its prestigious neighbors,” she says.

An appellation less famous than nearby Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay is better-known for its reds (85% of the production), but it also produces some delightful whites, notably the Santenay Beaurepaire 2019.

Classified as a premier cru since 1937, the name of the climat means “pleasant place to be” in old French, which is a very fitting description of where the vines grow. They have an ideal position on the hillside with a majestic view, on rich limestone soil that is perfect for Chardonnay.

After 10 months’ aging on lees in oak barrels, half of them new wood, this characterful wine is taut, mineral and fleshy, with a distinguished finely-toasted bouquet offering intense notes of fern and hazelnut. In the mouth, it offers a characteristic vigor and freshness, and has good keeping potential. A great white Burgundy to be discovered!