Santenay Rouge, Domaine Benoit Girardin 2022

"From 1 ha of vines. At the beginning of my wine career I came across a 1999 village Santenay (from Lequin-Colin) and encouraged everyone to buy as much as they could, whether as a party wine if they normally bought higher level Burgundies, or as a great opener if they were starting to exploring the region. Nearly a quarter of a century later I’ve found another that fits the bill! The nose offers bright red cherries, strawberry compote, baking spices, cacao nibs, violets, and touch of fresh cut pine. The palate is sappy, silky, rounded and supple with red plums and blood orange, cedary, spicy textured tannins, and a lightly salted anise finish. Pretty and notably high-toned for Santenay." Tom Harrow, Head Wine Guru Benoît Girardin is one of the most exciting new names to hit our list and already turning heads in France. The Girardin family boasts 13 generations of winemaking, and after years under his father Yves’ acclaimed domaine, Benoît launched his own label in 2020 with 8 hectares of prime vineyards across top Burgundy sites, including Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Pommard. On paper, the winemaking is classic and restrained - but in the glass, the wines are electric. They’re refined, silky and far more sophisticated than you’d expect at this stage of the domaine’s journey. This is the moment to get these wines in the cellar while pricing and availability are still friendly; they won’t stay under the radar for long.