2020 Santenay 1er Cru Beauregard, Domaine du Cellier aux Moines

2015 was the first vintage we offered from this superb estate, which has been going from strength to strength since Catherine and Philippe Pascal bought the property, and started their investments into it, in 2004. The buildings and vineyard date back over 8 centuries, to when a nearby Cistercian Abbey chose this south-facing hillside to plant vines and build their cellier. They made the wine until the French Revolution, after which the land was sold and divided.

The Pascal family bought the Historic Monument in 2004, then acquired many of the original, surrounding vineyards. They are perfectly situated at the centre of a south-facing Givry 1er Cru hillside. In 2015, the Domaine completed the construction of a unique full-gravity winery. Built in the old quarry of Givry, downhill from the cellier, this winery works on four levels, from grape sorting, down to fermentation, then barrel ageing, assembling and bottling, with no pumping. Oxidation of juices and wines during all processes is efficiently minimised. Three levels of the four are underground, allowing optimal temperature and humidity control, with minimal energy consumption.

They have added new plantings of carefully selected, low-yield Pinot Noirs to their old-vine plantings. Since 2006, no herbicides or pesticides have been used, and regular ploughing was re-introduced. Over recent years, white vineyards have been added to the estate, and wine-maker Guillaume Marko is proving as adept with Chardonnay grapes as he is with the Pinots. Guillaume is a Dijon-trained oenologist, who worked several stints at top Côte de Nuits domaines, before coming to Givry.