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Saint-Aubin Premier Cru La Chatenière Domaine Jérôme Fornerot 2022 DE
Tasting Notes: Jérôme’s tiny 0.07 hectare parcel in La Chatenière includes the oldest vines on the estate, some of them planted in the early 1920s. (!) The grapes were hand-harvested and ferment... ed on the native yeasts in a mix of oak barrels, 25% of them new, where the wine matured for 12 months, followed by three months in tank after the assemblage. In a good, well-shaped Burgundy glass (and not too, too cold, please), this limpid, green-gold Chardonnay is another textbook example of how a fine wine’s engaging vitality becomes more and more compelling over time, after it’s poured. Here, as the nose develops in the glass, delicate aromas of green Crispin apples, crystallized honeycomb, and flat-leaf parsley gradually give way to reticent suggestions of salt marsh hay, dried chamomile, and even the smell of the cool limestone columns in an old Gothic church. On the palate, the wine is impressively concentrated, with sapid pink sea-salt seasoned Chardonnay flavors that echo and magnify the beautiful limestone infused nose, and the overriding impression is of freshness and self-confident elegance. Drink now–2035 and beyond. Read More
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Documents record the Fornerot family’s roots in the village of Saint-Aubin back to 1618. In addition to viticulture, they’ve also operated a nursery specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay plants for wine producers throughout Europe. The present domaine was formed in 2004 when Jérôme Fornerot purchased his first parcels in Santenay and Maranges. In 2018, on the death of his father, the family's holdings in Saint-Aubin were transferred to Jérôme. Today the estate covers 16 hectares in three villages.
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Viticulture in Burgundy was well established by the second century AD, and likely predates the arrival of the Romans. By the late Middle Ages, the influence of the monastic orders had organized wine growing in Burgundy as nowhere else in Europe. It was the monks who recognized that certain individual vineyards consistently produced distinctive wine. Land reform came with the French Revolution, and the Code Napoléon abolished primogeniture, establishing that all inherited property be shared equally among siblings. As a result, the ownership of many of the finest vineyards is fragmented, with some growers owning just a few vines in many different vineyard sites. Just south of Santenay (with which it shares a number of well-regarded Premier Crus), Maranges is a link between the Côte de Beaune and the Côte Challonaise. The tiny appellation was formally recognized in 1988, and covers the the three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize-lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges. Nearly all the wine grown is red, based on Pinot Noir.
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Chardonnay is a white grape variety that originated in Burgundy, and today is grown in many countries around the world for the production of still wines, as well as sparkling wines. The Chardonnay vine grows vigorously, and is planted in both cool and warm climatic conditions. More so than other varieties, the flavor profile of the Chardonnay grape reflects the terroir of where it is grown. Also, oak barrel fermentation and aging techniques are sometimes used with Chardonnay, which can affect the flavor and texture of the wine. Therefore, the style of Chardonnay wines can range from neutral, crisp, and acidic to rich, round, and buttery.
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Ham roasts, cow-milk cheeses, and butter-laced seafood preparations are all wonderful with this wine. Côte de Beaune whites are also delicious with a simple roast poultry.
