Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravieres, Jessiaume 2023

The 2023 Santenay Les Gravières 1er Cru is Jessiaume's main production amongst the reds from their 3.8 hectares. This offers dark berry fruit on the nose, wild hedgerow and forest floor scents. It's a little more introspective than some of their other red cuvées yet still well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and light touches of brown spice infusing the red fruit. This is quite peppery on the finish to the point where you might misconstrue the presence of stems. It is very fine. (Drink between 2027-2038)

A full ruby to purple colour with vastly more depth of fruit on the nose than its predecessors in the tasting. A little helpful oak as well which the fruit can easily support. Fills the palate expertly, the wood perhaps needing to tone down with time in the bottle. The 35% new oak is showing a bit today, but will certainly diffuse. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.