In 1980, at the age of 19, Vincent Girardin, the son of a family of winegrowers based in Santenay since the 17th century, decided to strike out on his own, and began producing wine from the 2 hectares of vines he had inherited from his parents. The quality of his wines was quickly recognised and enabled him to expand his activity – focusing primarily on the great white and red wines of the Côte de Beaune. Today, the house is run by Eric Germain and Marco Caschera, who continue to deliver wines of great elegance and precision. The Santenay Rouge 1er Cru Les Gravières is their signature red and comes from the top vineyard from the village of Santenay. The vines are 45 years old and the wine spends 14 months ageing in oak barrels before the bottling. The resulting wine is elegant and pure, with a bright floral bouquet and long, silky tannins. It is often mistaken for Grand Cru wines of the Cote de Nuits. A perfectly proportioned half bottle for smaller gatherings, this burgundy is delicious with red meat, but also works very well with the local cheeses.13% ABV