2010 Vincent Girardin Savigny Les Beaune Les Serpentieres

Domaine Vincent Girardin is a 50-acre estate made up of 42 parcels in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. Vincent Girardin himself was born in Santenay, in the Cote de Beaune, and is an 11th generation winemaker. He started his own domaine in 1982 with just 5 acres of land, but he has added to the estate over the years, which he now runs with wife, Veronique. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Girardin an “extremely talented winemaker” and notes that Girardin’s top grand and premier crus “are at the same quality level of those crafted by Burgundy’s other excellent domaines and negociants. What sets this firm apart are the bevy of delicious, eminently drinkable wines it produces from lesser known appellations, including its home village of Santenay.” The domain makes red and white Burgundies.

Savigny-lès-Beaune is the third largest producing appellation in the Côte de Beaune and has 1,343 vineyard acres. Located three miles north of Beaune, the commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune is one of Burgundy’s largest communes with early 1,500 inhabitants. Some 97% of the vineyards are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder planted to Chardonnay. And though there are no Grands Crus, there are 22 Premiers Crus in whole or part. The appellation is divided into vineyards that are either on the hillsides to the north of the highway and river, or on the hillsides to the south. Many reviewers believe that the best vineyards are to the north of the highway, and they include Aux Serpentieres, Aux Vergelesses, and Les Lavieres, among others. The northern vineyards have some of the best southern exposure in Burgundy, which accounts for the quality of the wines from those vineyards. The wines of Savigny-lès-Beaune are considered lighter than many other Burgundy reds. However Robert M. Parker Jr. has noted that the “top wines are usually ready to drink young and are very fruity and stylish…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.