No critic score on this one. Just one family and a Santenay Premier Cru sitting right on Chassagne-Montrachet’s doorstep, for less than a lot of Burgundy wines at the same caliber and then some these days. TINY production too and just $49 here today!

Just like people, no two vineyards have quite the same personality. And because of that, we were torn which one to offer, because we loved them both for different reasons!

This one, the Clos de la Comme, and Clos de Tavannes, both considered to be some of the more prestigious sites in Santenay.

Each one contributes distinctly different characteristics to the wine. The Comme showcases the feminine floral side and make no mistake Op’s …this one in one whiff is just pretty. A deep breath, silence and nothing but smiles showed across ALL of our Agents’ faces! One of the most elegant of their premier crus they make!

The fruit, Clos de la Comme is one of only two Santenay 1er crus that actually touch the Chassagne-Montrachet border. You know… the good dirt, where famous names frequent labels and score boards. Like Maison Louis Latour, one of the oldest and biggest houses in all of Burgundy, bottles its own La Comme. So does Domaine Caroline Morey, who cut her teeth at Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey before going out on her own in Chassagne. Same vineyard.

Denis Clair’s family farmed Santenay for generations, quietly selling their best fruit to négociants who slapped their own name on it. In 1986, Denis said enough and started bottling under his own name. The Burgundy Report, an independent & highly influential publication that covers this region seriously, names Denis Clair’s domaine as one of the first in Santenay to get the serious French wine critic Michel Bettane to pay attention to the village at all.

Denis passed in 2016. Son Jean-Baptiste has already been running winemaking since 2011 (although he actually started in 2000) and his wines represent modern burgundy to the 9th degree in our humble opinion.

2022 was a genuinely strong year for Côte de Beaune reds specifically, trade critics flagged it as fine and classic, with that extra layer of depth the appellation doesn’t always get. Woo Hoo - You Go under the radar burgundy!!

Wine Spectator’s own vintage reporting flagged Côte de Beaune reds as the STRONGER side of the region for 2022.

Now, getting back to why we couldn’t make up our minds… Not all Pinot lovers want the same thing. Not all Pinots are the same either and this one our fellow Op’s shows the more feminine floral side of Pinot.

In the glass this one opens with bright crushed strawberry, wild raspberry, violet, and a bouquet of Freesia flowers. Give it some more swirly swirls and dried leaves creep in underneath grounding it. On the palate it turns silky elegant with finely polished tannins doing real work without ever getting aggressive, and the fruit just keeps unfolding with a nice streak of acidity, and then more strawberry, currant, a little baking spice riding along the finish, which goes long and elegant.

Twelve months in French oak, 15% new, gives it enough structure to reward a few years in the Locker 😉, but honestly, it is singing tonight too 😁.

The beautiful tapestry of flavor and its combination of red-fruit freshness, fine tannins structure makes this Santenay an excellent match for a variety of foods. From roasted chicken, duck, pork tenderloin, to veal and mushroom-based dishes. It also pairs beautifully with classic Burgundian preparations.

$75 SRP. $48 here.