Saint-Romain blanc „Sous La Velle“ AOC 2022

Wine description for Saint-Romain blanc „Sous La Velle“ AOC 2022 by Henri & Gilles Buisson

Colour & Appearance

Intense straw yellow with brilliant clarity – a visual promise of concentration and maturity.

Nose

Electrifying and precise. Limes and lemons dominate with their full complexity – skins, flesh, even the pips seem to speak. Added to this are flint and smoke, green apple, fresh herbs and a distinct chalky note. Hovering above it all is a whisper of white flowers. Pure Burgundian tension.

Palate

Here the true nature of this Saint-Romain reveals itself: energetic, tonic, with a juiciness that is addictive. The citrus aromas continue, accompanied by green stone fruit. A clear, present acidity drives the wine forward without ever making it seem harsh. The minerality – fed by 60-year-old vines on limestone – is positively electrifying. Yet Frédéric Buisson knows his craft: despite all the tension, a fine creaminess remains in the texture, subtle oak notes and smoke provide depth and balance.

Finish

Long, saline-mineral, with lingering freshness. The citrus notes resonate, accompanied by a fine smokiness.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Sous la Velle lies south-east facing at 355 to 380 metres altitude, north of Sous le Château. The vineyard with its colluvial soil on Marne-de-Saint-Romain limestone delivers the mineral precision that characterises this wine.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Chardonnay from 60-year-old vines, hand-picked and pressed as whole bunches. Spontaneous fermentation in wood, spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrels of various sizes (228 to 500 litres), only 10% new oak. Maturation over ten to twelve months. Bentonite fining, coarse filtration, minimal sulphiting (40-50 mg/l) only at bottling. Biodyvin-certified.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Pan-fried salmon with horseradish and mustard potatoes, gratinéed oysters with Meyer lemon, oven-roasted asparagus with miso hollandaise, but also goat’s cheese or Comté.

Special Features

A Saint-Romain that demonstrates how this often underestimated appellation produces Burgundian white wines of impressive precision and drinkability in the hands of winemakers like the Buissons – at a fraction of the price of neighbouring Premier Crus.