Phillipe le Hardi Saint Aubin En Vesvau 2021

Phillipe le Hardi Saint Aubin En Vesvau 

Phillipe le Hardi Saint Aubin En Vesvau is gold in colour with a very expressive nose. Yellow peach and apricot perfumes are supported by vanilla nuances from judicious oak ageing. The elegant palate has good concentration, with ripe fruit, well balanced oak and minerality highlighting the complexity of the wine.

This magnificent property, also known as Château Philippe le Hardi, as it was once owned by the first Duc of Burgundy. Philippe le Hardi is famous as the person who banned the cultivation of Gamay in the Côte d'Or, saying in his edict of 1395 that only Pinot Noir could be used in the production of red wines from the already fabled slopes. Despite its long history, the property had fallen on hard times until it was taken over by the French bank Crédit Agricole in recent years. They have invested heavily, bringing in a new team to support the general manager, Gérard Fagnoni, and putting the emphasis on quality. The property has 98 hectares of vineyard, 72 of which are in Mercurey. These are remarkably well made and good value wines from the Côte d'Or and Côte Chalonnaise.

Philippe le Hardi owns 25 hectares of vineyards in the Côte d'Or, including four hectares in Saint Aubin 'En Vesvau'. The soils here are free-draining with a mixture of clay and sand, and a subsoil which has a high limestone content. This forces the roots of the vine to dig deep to find the vital nutrients and water they need, which in turn results in a high concentration of flavour within the fruit.

The winemaking at Philippe le Hardi is simple and traditional. After crushing in a pneumatic press, the must was settled for 12 hours then fermented in oak barrels. The wine was aged on its lees and spent 12 months in oak, of which 20% was new, before being bottled in December.

Philippe le Hardi Saint-Aubin En Vesveau - Hay Wines