Château de Santenay hopeful of best ever vintage

Burgundy producer Château de Santenay is optimistic that favourable weather conditions mean 2015 will be its greatest vintage yet.

A hot summer, timely rainfall and low humidity at Santenay point to a ‘fantastic’ 2015 vintage (Photo: Chateau de Santenay)

Florence Garnier-Delcher, sales manager for Château de Santenay, which has nearly 100 hectares of vines, including four premier cru parcels and one grand cru in Clos de Vougeot, spoke of her optimism.

“It is still very early, and we won’t really know for a few months more, but everybody thinks this could be a fantastic year,” she said.

“It was a very hot summer with three weeks of 38ºC in August, but we got enough rain just when we needed it. There was no humidity and some wind too, so it will not be like 2003.

“Malic acid levels are low but I am not worried about the overall acidity or the pH. We will shorten malolactic fermentation as a result and will know howâ good the Chardonnays will be when that is over.

“The reds have beautiful quality of tannins with wonderful density and colour, and already look great, while the whites are quite exotic.

“I don’t want to tempt fate, but this has the potential to be our greatest vintage at Santenay and one of the best in Burgundy. So we are very excited.”

Garnier-Delcher’s comments add to huge sense of anticipation in Burgundy for the 2015 vintage, particularly for Pinot Noirs.