Jean-Claude Boisset, Santenay Blanc 1er Cru `Passetemps`

Jean-Claude Boisset, Santenay Blanc 1er Cru `Passetemps`

Vintage: 2020

VintageProduct CodeFormatClosureAvailability
2020BO286B206 x 75Natural CorkAvailable
Producer

Jean-Claude Boisset is a family-owned wine company founded in 1961, with their first parcel located in Gevrey-Chambertin. Today the company is based in Les Ursulines, a former convent in Nuits-Saint-Georges and is run by brother and sister duo Jean-Charles and Nathalie Boisset. In 2018, they opened a new state-of-the-art winery, reflecting their modern, technical approach to winemaking.

Since 2002, the wines have been made by Grégory Patriat. Previously head viticulturist and assistant winemaker at the legendary Domaine Leroy, Grégory has brought a detailed, vineyard-led approach to Jean-Claude Boisset. This approach is mirrored in Grégory’s winemaking, resulting in wines that reflect their origins with a harmony of freshness and fruit expression. After tasting the 2021 vintage, Jancis Robinson wrote that she “was utterly knocked out by the balance and refinement of Grégory Patriat’s wines at J-C Boisset”.

Today, Grégory makes 45 wines from across the Côte d’Or, working closely with his team of growers throughout the year. He gets just as excited about his plot of Grand Cru ‘Clos de la Roche’ (from which he has been buying fruit since 2002) or his vines in Chambolle-Musigny (which includes a parcel of the Premier Cru ‘Clos de l’Orme’), as he does with his Aligoté, his Fixin Blanc or other lesser-known appellations.

His philosophy is simple: work with old, massal selection vines that produce highly concentrated, low-yielding fruit. In the cellar, he is non-interventionist, preferring to let the fruit express itself. “70-80% of the quality comes from the vineyard,” he says. Vinification for the reds is in large, open-topped oak foudres, while the whites are fermented in Chassin barrels. Since 2007, Grégory has introduced larger 450-litre barrels to reduce the influence of oak.

Grégory’s wines have won no fewer than 74 medals and 13 trophies from prestigious competitions over the past eight years, including the International Wine Challenge ‘Clos de la Roche’ Trophy, which he has won five times.

Vineyards

This is one of the Côte d'Or's southernmost appellations, located just south of Chassagne-Montrachet. The vineyards in Santenay stretch across 400 hectares, of which 123 hectares are premier cru sites. 'Passetemps' is composed of two plots on a hillside located just below the 'Clos de Mouches' vineyard. The vines are 42 years old on average and are pruned using the Guyot system, producing yields of around 54 hectolitres per hectare. The plots have an eastern exposure and are situated on clay-limestone soils. The name 'Passetemps' probably comes from the fact that it was nice to spend time working on these plots!

Vintage

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy was characterised by hot and dry conditions. After a mild spring, temperatures climbed and then remained consistently warm throughout the majority of the summer months, greatly reducing any risk of disease in the vineyard. The Chardonnay vines coped well in the heat, producing adequate yields and grapes that displayed a perfect balance of sugar and acidity. Grégory Patriat is optimistic about the potential of the 2020s: “The whites are nicely-balanced, but it’s too early to be more precise. Watch this space…”

Vinification

All grapes were hand picked on the 29th August. The bunches were gently whole bunch pressed for two and a half hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then immediately transferred into 450-litre oak barrels with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. A long fermentation was carried out using indigenous yeasts. The wine was aged with no racking or stirring to bring out the full mineral character of the wine. 25% of the barrels were new French oak, imparting a subtle, delicate touch of oak in the final wine.

Tasting Notes & Technical Details

This Santenay 1er Cru is bright yellow with golden reflections. The distinguished nose will seduce you with its aromas of exotic fruits and spices, combined with some slightly toasted notes. On the palate, the wine is smooth and elegant, revealing buttery notes and a very good tension.

Alcohol (ABV)

13%