Philippe le Hardi Santenay La Comme 1er Cru

Tasting Notes Philippe le Hardi Santenay La Comme 1er Cru

Clear golden yellow in color. The nose is expressive with aromas of ripe peach, apricot, citrus, acacia blossom, and toasted hazelnuts. On the palate, the wine is rich and creamy, yet remarkably refined. Ripe fruit, subtle oak tones, and a beautiful minerality are supported by lively acidity, leading to a long, elegant finish.

Aging Potential

Delicious to drink now, but will continue to develop in the bottle for another 8 to 10 years under good conditions.

Wine & Food Pairing

Philippe le Hardi Santenay La Comme 1er Cru pairs beautifully with lobster, scallops, turbot, sole, or langoustines. Creamy risotto with mushrooms, poultry in a beurre blanc, or veal medallions with a creamy sauce also make excellent combinations. Aged Comté or a creamy Brillat-Savarin cheese also complement the wine's rich, elegant style wonderfully.

Additional Information

The Philippe le Hardi Santenay 1er Cru La Comme is a prestigious white Burgundy from the Premier Cru vineyard La Comme, located on the southeast-facing slopes of Santenay. The limestone and clay-rich soil gives the wine its characteristic minerality and elegance. With a production of only about 1,500 bottles per year, this wine is one of the domain's more exclusive cuvées.

Château Philippe le Hardi is one of the largest wine domains in Burgundy. The imposing castle in Santenay dates from the 9th century and was owned by Philippe le Hardi (Philip the Bold), Duke of Burgundy, for part of the 14th century. With his 'Ordonnance de Philippe le Hardi,' he laid the foundation for monocépage winemaking in Burgundy.

Château Philippe le Hardi owns 98 hectares of vineyards spread across the Côte d'Or and the Côte Chalonnaise. In total, they produce wine in 14 appellations, including Mercurey, Aloxe-Corton, Santenay, Pommard, and Saint-Aubin, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and Meursault. The domain's wines are beloved for their elegance, finesse, and complexity.

Until mid-2021, the domain's name was 'Château de Santenay.' Due to a change in Burgundy legislation in 2021, the name of the Santenay appellation is no longer allowed as a domain name. Therefore, the name was changed to 'Château Philippe le Hardi.'

The grapes are hand-harvested and carefully selected. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place in French oak barrels. The wine then ages for 16 months, about 20% of which is in new oak barriques. Regular bâtonnage provides extra creaminess and complexity, while preserving the fresh acidity.

Grape Variety

Chardonnay

Fun Fact

Premier Cru literally means "first growth." In Burgundy, only vineyards with exceptional terroir are granted this status. Of the more than 300 hectares of vineyards in Santenay, only a limited portion has the Premier Cru classification. La Comme is one of the most famous and highly regarded climats of the appellation.