# Santenay "Les Terrasses de Bievaux" Blanc (2023)

- **Producer:** Domaine Justin Girardin
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €38
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, blossom, lemon, grapefruit, butter, biscuit, toast, hazelnut, almond

## About this wine

Domaine Justin Girardin is led by Justin Girardin, representing the 13th generation of his family making wine in Burgundy since 1570. He took over the 17-hectare estate in 2012 from his father, Jacques Girardin. "Les Terrasses de Bievaux" is sourced from a unique terraced vineyard in Santenay, originally replanted by Justin's grandfather in 1986 after being abandoned post-phylloxera. The steep, high-elevation slopes feature thin limestone soils that yield a highly singular, mineral-driven expression of Chardonnay.

## Interesting facts

- The name Bievaux comes from Latin and old Burgundian words meaning a natural water spring near steep valleys.
- The steep slopes of Bievaux were completely abandoned after the 1900 phylloxera crisis until Justin's grandfather replanted them in 1986.
- The vineyard is uniquely terraced, which is an extremely rare sight in the traditional landscape of Burgundy.
- Bottling is strictly timed to coincide with a favorable lunar phase, specifically a fruit day during the descending moon.

## Food pairing

This dry white Burgundy balances vibrant acidity with a textured, creamy mid-palate. It pairs beautifully with rich seafood and poultry dishes where its high acidity cuts through butter or cream sauces, while its subtle oak integration complements roasted or nutty flavors.

## Wine making process

The grapes are harvested 100% manually with triple sorting. After a gentle pressing, cold pre-fermentation is carried out in stainless steel vats to preserve primary fruit aromas. Fermentation is completed in French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged on fine lees for 10 to 12 months in French oak barrels (15% new oak, with some larger 400-liter casks to preserve freshness). Malolactic fermentation is 100% completed in barrel. Bottling is done during a favorable lunar phase with light filtration.