Hidden. Much of the white Burgundy we import comes from the three usual suspects — Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet. These classic wines usually start at around $60 a bottle, and while they’re delicious (see current Futures), we try to find a wide range of character and price. Some of our favorites come from the towns just over the border from these three.
Located on Chassagne-Montrachet’s southern border, Santenay produces well-priced white wines with some of the richness of its northerly neighbors. Our source here is Roger Belland, a domaine Clive Coates calls “one of the best sources in Santenay.” The Bellands have used no herbicides for more than 20 years, and their wines are all careful, pure expressions of their origin.
It’s not a flashy domaine — there’s a small sign next to the door on the street, and you have to enter their cellar before seeing any of their many winemaking awards. But the quality is excellent, and the value is nearly impossible to match.
Richness. The 2014s from Belland have just arrived in the warehouse, and so far they have lived up to the considerable hype surrounding the vintage. Belland’s 2014 Santenay 1er cru “Beauregard” blanc is a powerful white Burgundy, with the density and fullness you’d expect from Chassagne. The nose shows pretty white flowers, honey, lime, and autumn apples. The mouth is explosively rich, with a golden fleshiness, very subtle use of oak, and an electric tension that keeps the wine on the palate for an impressively long finish.
This mouthfilling wine is nearly a meal in itself. But for pairing, we’d serve this beside a roast chicken with lemon, rosemary, and garlic on a Sunday afternoon. A friendly warning, though: if the bottle is opened when the chicken goes into the oven, you may need a second by the time it’s done.
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BELLAND Santenay 1er “Beauregard” blanc 14
Ansonia Retail: $42
case, half-case: $36/bot
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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale. All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.
