Saint-Romain
Overlooked by the cliffs of Saint-Romain, this village appellation of the same name comprises 107 hectares of vines. It is a less well-known AOC than the neighbouring Auxey-Duresses or other Côte de Beaune appellations like Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Pommard and Volnay. As well as the name Saint-Romain, wine labels may also mention the specific vineyard or climat from which a wine comes, such as Pouillange, La Perrière, Sous le Château, Sous la Velle, Sous Roches or Le Jarron. For red wines only, the term Côte de Beaune may also appear. The vines face south/south-east and north/north-east, lying at an altitude of 280 to 400 metres, which is higher than Burgundy’s other climats. It was in the Middle Ages that viticulture was developed here by Cistercian monks. Originally, the vineyards were planted with Gamay for everyday consumption. Today, the grape varieties are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. The limestone soils produce fresh white wines with floral notes and red wines with fruity notes such as redcurrant, raspberry and cherry.
Leading figures of the appellation include the producers Frédéric Cossard of Domaine Chassorney, Henry and Gilles Buisson, François d'Allaines and Alain Gras. For softer prices, look out for the wines of Domaine Prunier-Damy and Domaine Florence Cholet.
