2009 Jean-Marc Pillot Santenay Les Champs Claude, 375ml

Jean-Marc Pillot is a fourth-generation winemaker in Chassagne-Montrachet, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. He worked with his father, Jean, until the mid-1990s, when he took over the estate, expanding it to 35 acres. Jean-Marc Pillot produces many Premier Cru whites in Chassagne-Montrachet, as well as a few Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet reds, including Clos Saint-Jean, Les Macherelles and Morgeot. Since taking over from his father, Jean-Marc has built a new cellar and updated the domaine. Clive Coates notes that “These are very good wines.”

Santenay is the southernmost appellation in the Côte d’Or. The appellation includes the communes of Santenay and Remigny and it has 813 vineyard acres. Both red and white wines can be made within the Santenay appellation, though in practice about 85% of the wine produced here is red. Pinot Blanc may be used in white wines, though most white Santenays are 100% Chardonnay. Though there are no Grands Crus, Santenay boasts 12 Premiers Crus. Among the best Premiers Crus vineyards are Clos de Tavannes, La Comme, Les Gravières and Le Passe Temps. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “good Santenays share a robust, tannic, earthy character with a bouquet that suggests cherry and strawberry fruit intertwined with the smell of sautéed almonds.” Clive Coates has noted that the white wines of Santenay “should be crisp, medium-bodied and fruity, less racy but fuller than Saint-Aubins, perhaps with a touch of spice…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.