Bruno Colin : Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2021 from Bruno Colin

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep ruby-red hue.

Nose

The nose unveils an intense bouquet of blackcurrant and raspberry, complemented by fruity notes characteristic of Pinot Noir.

Palate

On the palate, the wine charms with its richness and suppleness. The attack is intense and deep, carried by firm yet discreet tannins that build an elegant, well-balanced structure. The texture is very fine, almost airy, with a pleasing aromatic echo that lingers through the finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2021 pairs perfectly with braised red meats, beef stew (daube), or a veal fillet in cream sauce. It also matches beautifully with lacquered poultry, braised rabbit with fresh pasta, or a platter of aged cheeses such as Brie de Meaux, Comté, or Reblochon.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve the Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2021 at a temperature of 14 to 15°C. This wine can be enjoyed now or kept in the cellar to gain complexity until around 2026, or even beyond under optimal storage conditions.

An elegant, structured Santenay from the Côte de Beaune

The estate

Founded in 2004 by Bruno Colin following the split of the family estate Michel Colin-Deleger, Domaine Bruno Colin farms 8.75 hectares spread across fifty micro-parcels in five communes of the Côte de Beaune in Bourgogne. Bruno Colin, owner and winegrower, now runs this estate, certified organic since 2008, producing around twenty appellations including two Grands Crus and several Premiers Crus. The domaine stands out for its minimalist winemaking philosophy, favoring the pure expression of terroir. Recognized by the Guide vert of the Revue du vin de France in 2026, the estate quickly established itself among Burgundy’s benchmark producers.

The vineyard

The Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" comes from a 0.71-hectare plot planted with vines averaging fifty-two years of age. Located at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune, the Santenay appellation benefits from an exceptional terroir made up of brown limestone and light, shallow, stony soils, particularly well-suited to viticulture. The parcels enjoy an ideal south-east exposure and reach remarkable altitudes for a Bourgogne village. The continental climate allows Pinot Noir to ripen optimally. The clay-limestone soils give the wine its characteristic minerality and elegant structure.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage was marked by a spring frost episode that affected the entire Burgundian vineyard, naturally reducing yields. This natural concentration made it possible to obtain richer, more powerful grapes. Unsettled summer conditions were followed by a milder end to the season, allowing optimal ripeness to be reached. These particular conditions gave rise to concentrated wines with a fine tannic structure and an interesting aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Santenay Village "Vieilles Vignes" 2021 are harvested by hand, then carefully sorted in the vineyard and again on a vibrating sorting table in the winery. After complete destemming, the berries undergo several days of cold maceration before the start of alcoholic fermentation, carried out with gentle pump-overs. Aging takes place over twelve months in 350-liter oak barrels, with 15 to 20% new oak. The wine is then blended and transferred to stainless-steel tanks for an additional four to six months of maturation before bottling.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir