2011 Volnay Santenots
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 2011 has a stemmy and herbaceous bouquet that is nonetheless well defined and vigorous, improving all the time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins, good tension and a lip-smacking salinity that comes through on the marine-influenced finish. Sturdy and correct this is an endearing and comparatively cerebral Santenots for those who prefer a more reserved, earthier style.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
(includes the 16-year-old Clos des Santenots vines): Good bright, dark red. Aromas of cherry, smoke and game are lifted by flowers and spices. The palate offers attractive floral definition to the flavors of cherry and spices. Delicate and fine-grained for Santenots, finishing with broad tannins and lovely aromatic lift. These vines get very ripe very quickly, noted consulting winemaker Nadine Gublin, and were picked first in 2011, "as usual."
(from young vines in the Clos): Bright, moderately saturated dark red. Quite reduced on the nose. In a softer, somewhat loose-knit style, with modest depth to its dark berry and herb flavors. With less mid-palate stuffing here, the tannins come off as a tad dry.
A deft touch of wood envelops a spicy nose of extract of violets, menthol and cassis along with enough earth character to notice. There is a round, even tender and caressing mouth feel to the middle weight flavors that offer good if not special depth but excellent length. Again, I particularly like the fine grained tannins as they are well-integrated on the palate coating finish. Tasted: Apr 15, 2013. Drink: 2018+