Saint Romain

Where is the Saint-Romain appellation located?

The Saint-Romain appellation is located in Burgundy, in the Côte-d'Or, to the south-west of Beaune, at the western tip of the Côte de Beaune. It occupies solely the territory of the commune of Saint-Romain, set back approximately five kilometres from the côte proper, at the foot of a combe that cuts into the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune plateau. The vineyard covers around one hundred hectares planted between 280 and 450 metres in altitude, making it the highest and coolest sector of the Côte de Beaune. Auxey-Duresses and Meursault lie immediately to the east, Monthelie and Volnay a little further away, while the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune surround the appellation to the north and west. The site, with its upper village nestled against the cliff and its lower village in the hollow of the valley, is considered one of the most spectacular in the Burgundian vineyard.

History of the Saint-Romain appellation

The history of this terroir predates that of the vine by far: the site, occupied since the Neolithic period, is among the oldest centres of settlement in Burgundy and was one of the earliest sanctuaries of Celtic and Gallo-Roman viticulture in the region. The Middle Ages saw a fortress castle rise there, whose ruins still dominate the upper village, and viticulture organised itself under the influence of the neighbouring lordships and abbeys. For a long time, through lack of renown, the wines of the commune were sold under more prestigious borrowed names from the côte, a practice that the 1919 law on appellations of origin and then the decrees of the 1930s progressively brought to an end. The vineyard then refocused on the finest hillsides and abandoned ordinary grape varieties in favour of pinot noir and chardonnay. This move upmarket was rewarded by recognition as an appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1947. The village is also home to the cooperage François Frères, established there for over a century and supplier to the greatest estates in the world, whose local microclimate favours the natural drying of the stave wood.

What are the terroirs of the Saint-Romain appellation?

The terroirs of this vineyard form a true open-air geology textbook, in what the Burgundians call the pays du lias. The combe lays bare a succession of marls and limestones from the Lower and Middle Jurassic, upon which are layered clay-limestone soils, often stony and shallow, interspersed with clay veins that suit chardonnay particularly well. The exposures vary greatly, from full south to full east, which partly compensates for the altitude and the cooler climate of this secluded sector. The finest climats are spread on either side of the valley: Sous la Velle, Sous le Château, Sous Roche, Le Jarron, La Périère and Combe Bazin, whose names often appear on the label. The appellation has no premier cru, but these lieu-dits play in practice the same role of qualitative benchmark for enthusiasts.

Which grape varieties are permitted in the Saint-Romain appellation?

The permitted varieties are the two great Burgundian grape varieties: chardonnay for the whites and pinot noir for the reds, with no blending. Chardonnay, historically known locally as aubaine, occupies just over half the surface area, approximately 60 hectares compared to around forty for pinot noir. On the marls and limestones of the combe, it produces straight, floral and saline wines, with notes of linden, pear, hazelnut and gunflint, with a high natural acidity that the altitude preserves even in warm vintages. Pinot noir, locally named noirien, produces reds here of medium colour but very aromatic, with notes of redcurrant, raspberry and cherry, fine tannins and a fresh framework. The vines are trained according to Côte de Beaune practice, with planting densities exceeding 9,000 vines per hectare.

What are the different styles of Saint-Romain wines?

The appellation produces still whites and reds, in a proportion of approximately 60% white. The whites are today the true signature of this terroir: lively, precisely chiselled, less opulent than a Meursault but more taut, they gain with a few years an unctuous texture without ever losing their nervousness. The reds, lighter and more digestible than those of the côte, are happily drunk young on the fruit, then evolve after four or five years towards ripe fruit, spice and a smoky hint. They may bear the mention Côte de Beaune after the village name or be sold as Côte de Beaune-Villages. Vinification follows Burgundian practice, with gentle pressing and barrel ageing for the whites, often nine to fifteen months, with new oak used sparingly so as not to mask the minerality.

On the food and wine pairing side, the whites accompany Burgundy snails, freshwater fish, shellfish, poultry in cream sauce, goat's cheeses and a young Comté. The reds go well with white meats, jambon persillé, roast poultry, mushrooms and medium-aged cheeses. Serve the whites between 11 and 13°C, the reds at around 14 to 15°C.

What are the best vintages of Saint-Romain?

The reference vintages of the past thirty years are 1999, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. The altitude position of this vineyard changes the usual reading of vintages: warm years, long feared elsewhere, perform particularly well here as they bring the grapes to full ripeness without erasing the freshness, which explains the very marked qualitative progress observed since the 2000s. 2014 and 2017 remain benchmarks of balance in white, 2015 and 2019 are sunnier years, 2022 and 2023 ripe and generous vintages. Conversely, 2003 yielded heavy wines, 2004, 2011, 2012 and 2013 produced uneven results, and 2016, 2021 and 2024 were marked by frost or mildew, with very small harvests. A note of caution for older whites: vintages from the late 1990s and early 2000s suffered from premature oxidation in Burgundy, which encourages favouring more recent years for cellaring.

What are the best estates in the Saint-Romain appellation?

The finest estates here are a handful of family properties established in the village, who have built the modern reputation of the appellation. Domaine Alain Gras is its figurehead. Working some fifteen hectares across the finest hillsides of the commune, it has been since the 1980s the producer who has done most to bring this terroir to the attention of the wider world outside Burgundy. Its whites, precise, saline and built to last, and its reds with their brilliant fruit serve as the benchmark for the entire appellation, with prices that have remained reasonable for such renown.

Domaine Henri et Gilles Buisson is the other pillar of the village, present here for several generations and today run by brothers Franck and Frédérick Buisson. The vineyard, close to twenty hectares, has been certified organic since 2009 and has been entirely farmed biodynamically since 2018, making it one of the most committed estates in the area. The single-parcel cuvées, notably on Sous la Velle and Le Jarron, offer whites of fine definition and pleasurable reds, regularly praised by the guides.

Domaine de Chassorney, created by Frédéric Cossard, is the reference for natural wine in the village and one of the most sought-after names in Burgundy in this register. Manual harvesting, vinification without additives, barrel ageing and sulphur reduced to a minimum produce vibrant and highly expressive wines, sometimes unsettling, whose cuvées Combe Bazin and Sous le Château have become classics among specialist wine merchants and restaurants.

Domaine Christophe Buisson, also based in Saint-Romain, has built a solid reputation on refined and well-crafted whites, complemented by a small négociant activity that allows it to offer other appellations from the Côte de Beaune. Its cuvée on the climat Sous le Château ranks among the finest value for money in the appellation.

Maison Sarnin-Berrux, also based in the village, upholds an artisanal and minimally interventionist approach, with long ageing and wines of character that rank among the most interesting of the appellation for knowledgeable enthusiasts. It should also be noted that Saint-Romain is home to the cellar of Domaine d'Auvenay, the property of Lalou Bize-Leroy, whose cuvées come from other appellations but whose presence speaks volumes about the quality of the site, and that several major Beaune négociants regularly offer a saint-romain in their range.

How long should a Saint-Romain wine be kept?

A Saint-Romain wine can generally be kept for between three and twelve years depending on colour and vintage. The whites are ideally enjoyed between three and eight years, the finest single-parcel cuvées from the leading estates holding without difficulty for ten to twelve years in solid vintages, their natural acidity serving as a backbone. The reds can open up from their first two or three years on the fruit, but gain in complexity between five and ten years, the most structured exceeding this range in great years. As the appellation has no premier cru, the ageing hierarchy is read primarily through the originating climat and the producer. The ideal cellar is kept between 11 and 14°C, with good humidity, away from light and vibrations, bottles lying on their sides. A brief decanting of fifteen to thirty minutes usefully awakens younger whites that are still on the reserved side, while the reds most often require only a simple opening before serving.