Saint-Romain
Saint-Romain
The small Burgundy appellation of Saint-Romain, off the beaten track in the Cote de Beaune region, can be forgotten amid the fanfare of its illustrious neighbours. This is great news for savvy wine buyers, as Saint-Romain presents good value and produces some excellent wines, particularly in warmer vintages. Located in an east-west valley that runs away from the main escarpment of the Cote d'Or, Saint-Romain's higher vineyard altitudes of up to 400 metres can occasionally make grape ripening difficult, and it can be a challenge to achieve vintage-to-vintage consistency. Pinot Noir is the key grape in the appellation, as it grows more healthily in the conditions than Chardonnay though the mineral, lean white wines from Saint-Romain can be exceptional. The Pinot Noir wines are deep-ruby coloured with flavours of black cherry and raspberry, spice and some smoky notes. They develop savoury characters as they age, with time also smoothing out the already fine tannins.