Comte Senard
Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy
One of the most charming and historic domaines in Aloxe-Corton would have to be the abbey of Domaine Comte Senard. Here, the cellar, restaurant and tasting room nestle in a haven of natural beauty near the village of Aloxe-Corton and rolls out towards their famous Clos des Meix Monopole.
Founded in the 18th century, the estate has been passed down through generations of the Senard family, who have dedicated themselves to producing white and red Burgundy typical to the Corton hill. Fortunate in their positioning, Comte Senard have acquired over the years some outstanding plots including Clos de Meix, Clos du Roi and Bressandes, and produced some unique wines including a Clos de Meix Blanc and the only Aloxe-Corton Pinot Gris.
The winery is run by the talented Lorraine Senard who – after working in wineries in the New World and in her home Burgundy – in recent years turned the estate into a champion of micro terroir, producing a style of wine that favours elegance over muscle. Now working together with her brother Mathieu, who assumes commercial duties, they are outspoken advocates of the importance of sustainable agriculture, organic vineyard management and winemaking. Lorraine has also re-introduced native fermentation for all the wines and opts for 100% whole bunch fermentation in most vintages for the reds while favouring gentler maceration.
The main takeaway here is the purity of the wines. Corton is a huge extension, housing all manner of producers mostly making firm, powerful wines, as is the vineyard’s typicity. Comte Senard’s wines do not lack presence, and certainly layer finesse and perfume atop the inherent structure from these terroirs.
It is a pleasure to welcome Comte Senard to the Vinify portfolio, a producer aligned in values, attitude and especially the pursuit of exceptional wines of place.
2023 Bourgonge Blanc Aligoté
Aligoté’s prominence in the limestone of the Côte de Beaune has only accelerated in the last decade thanks to wider adoption by producers who have the same aim of producing more forward, early drinking white wines from Burgundy. Though this ‘fashionable’ variety in Burgundy is now relatively easy to find, few estates can boast the significant vine age of Comte Senard, who have a tiny parcel (0.5ha) on the Corton hill planted in the late 1980s.
Winemaking:
Winemaking is kept brief and gentle, with Comte Senard’s obligatory native fermentation. After 8 months in stainless it is bottled and aged a further few months in bottle before release.
Tasting Notes:
This displays Aligotés typical mineral drive and forward fruitiness, with cucumber, lemon pith and granny smith apples. This 2020 is starting to show some complexity from time in bottle, but it’s a relatively light-weight thirst quencher with great tang and texture.
2022 Bourgogne Blanc ‘Ana’
Comte Senard’s ‘Ana’ Bourgogne Blanc comes from the newest plot of the youngest Chardonnay vines on the estate, hence the Bourgogne classification. Vineyard management and winemaking is very much in line with the senior whites from Comte Senard.
Winemaking:
Fermented in barrique and aged for 12 months in oak, around 60% new.
Tasting Notes:
Very vibrant, full of fennel, green melon, and wild grown herbs, this is a delicious and elegant Bourgogne Blanc. Hints of lemon oil and white florals add depth and complexity to the aroma. Not a firm wine, it is still with great driving acidity.
2022 Aloxe-Corton Blanc ‘Les Caillettes’ (Pinot Gris)
An exceedingly unusual wine, but one which only adds to the allure of this estate and its vineyard holdings. The only Pinot Gris (in Burgundian, Pinot Beurot) planted in Aloxe-Corton, it was somehow saved over the years from uprooting in favour of the region’s much more ubiquitous Chardonnay. These ancient vines, planted in the lieu-dit ‘Les Caillettes’ were planted in 1913, pre-dating even the creation of the appellation.
Winemaking:
From over 40 year old vines, this is pressend into oak for fermentation and aged in 30% new and 70% used barriques.
Tasting Notes:
This shows crisp green pear and lemon with lashings of baking spices. It retains the minerality typical of Burgundian white wines with a touch of white pepper, white florals, and river pebbles. A very present palate, long flavour and slippery texture round off this curious but immensely satisfying Burgundian Pinot Gris.
2022 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Abbaye de Morgeot’
The Abbaye de Morgeot is an official Premier Cru climat of Chassagne Montrachet covering two vineyards making up about 8.5 hectares towards the lower slope of the hillside. Its wine has rare power and poise. From the top of the slope, where there is limestone mixed with dense clay, producing a concentrated, layered and penetrating expression of Chardonnay that will reward patience.
2022 Meursault
Winemaking:
It underwent natural fermentation with native yeasts in barrels, and ageing in oak (40% new) for 5 months, before being drawn off and a small sulfur addition at bottling.
2022 Bourgogne Rouge ‘Cuvée Auguste’
From the younger estate plantings in and around Aloxe-Corton. ‘Cuvée Auguste’ is an easy look in at Comte Senard’s fresh and elegant house style.
Winemaking:
It underwent natural fermentation with native yeasts and 100% whole bunches, then ageing for 14 months in barriques, 40% new and 60% seasoned.
Tasting Notes:
A lovely, fresh and juicy wine that beautifully showcases the elegance of the estate style. Red cherries, spice and liquorice notes with a touch of peppery stemminess, this opens out to more red fruits after some breathing. Delicious and refreshing on the palate with a touch of chew from the whole bunch.
2022 Aloxe-Corton Village Rouge ‘Cuvée Jules’
This comes from 5 plots around the town of Aloxe-Corton and is a wonderful wine to properly understand the stylistic difference between Comte Senard and their contemporaries.
Winemaking:
It underwent natural fermentation with native yeasts and 100% whole bunches, then ageing in barrique, 40% new and 60% seasoned.
Tasting Notes:
Undoubtedly from Aloxe-Corton, this has the sinewed grain of the appellation rippling through its juicy red fruit bouquet. A little herbaceous whole bunch demeanour and plenty of grippy tannins means it has a solid mid-term future ahead.
2022 Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Rouge ‘Les Valozières’
Lying just below Bressandes and with clay rich soil, Les Valozieres produces a wine that needs time in the bottle or glass to unfurl. This is Comte Senard’s sole Premier Cru rouge, but it’s probably the wine that most screams Corton!
Tasting Notes:
The 2022 Les Valozieres shows a veritable ying-and-yang of character, with both muscle and finesse in plentiful quantity. Red fruits of plum and cherry abound with cocoa, fresh wild herbs and a minty top note on the nose. The palate has great grip and chew, and probably needs a year in the cellar to be at its finest.
2021 Corton Grand Cru Rouge ‘Corton Clos du Roi’
The most famous of all the Corton Grands Cru that delivers wines of power and grace. Comte Senard’s small parcel produces their most revered bottling.
Winemaking:
It underwent natural fermentation with native yeasts and fully destemmed fruit for 2021, this spends 18 months in barrique, 40% of which are new.
Tasting Notes:
The full spectrum of Corton’s flavour profile is on display here with turned earth, blackberry, woody spices and stony minerality. Comte Senard’s Clos du Roi is a wonderful example of Lorraine Senard’s balanced winemaking approach, also showing some red berry freshness and aniseed herbs. Fine but plentiful tannins and ravishing acidity close it out.
2021 Corton Grand Cru Rouge ‘Corton Clos des Meix’ Monopole
Clos des Meix is Comte-Senard’s Monopole situated just outside of the tasting room and cellar, exposed perfectly due-South and just bordering Corton-Charlemagne.
Winemaking:
It underwent natural fermentation with native yeasts and fully destemmed for 2021, this spends 18 months in a 50/50 split of new and seasoned barrique.
Tasting Notes:
This is a vintage, an appellation and a Monopole that has all the makings of a wine for long cellar ageing, however the 2021 Clos des Meix benefits from a deft winemaking touch making it approachable even today. Dark fruits, game meat, leather and turned earth are all on show with a powerful but slippery mouthfeel. A wine of structure, stature and grace with impressive underlying tension.