Les Fourneaux (1er Cru, Santenay)

Les Fourneaux sits within the commune of Santenay, the southernmost major village of the Côte de Beaune. It carries the Santenay Premier Cru classification and forms part of the broader Clos Rousseau complex, a cluster of premier cru parcels on the hillside above the village. At 6.06 hectares, it is a moderately sized climat by Burgundian standards, with a south-southwest aspect that provides generous sun exposure across the growing season.

• Part of the Clos Rousseau complex of premier cru sites in Santenay
• South-southwest aspect supports full phenolic and sugar ripeness
• Classification: Santenay Premier Cru under the broader Santenay appellation

The soils at Les Fourneaux are composed of limestone and marl, with deeper profiles underlain by a firm limestone base. This combination is characteristic of the Côte de Beaune, where the interplay between calcium-rich parent rock and clay-marl fractions shapes the structure and texture of the wines. Deeper soils here tend to produce Pinot Noir with more generous fruit and rounder tannins compared to the tighter, more austere profiles found on shallower, rockier sites. The continental climate of the region brings warm, dry summers that support ripeness, with cool winters that allow the vine to rest fully before each new cycle.

• Limestone and marl soils over a limestone bedrock base
• Deeper soil profiles compared to some neighboring premier cru sites
• Continental climate with warm summers supports consistent ripening of Pinot Noir

Les Fourneaux produces red wine exclusively from Pinot Noir, in a style described as rustic and structured with pronounced dark fruit character. Black fruit aromas dominate the nose, while the palate shows mature, silky tannins that soften with time in bottle. This profile places Les Fourneaux at the more robust end of the Santenay spectrum, wines that reward cellaring but can be approachable with a few years of age. The structured quality of the wine reflects both the limestone base of the soils and the intensity of expression that older vine material provides.

• Dominant black fruit aromas on the nose
• Structured palate with mature, silky tannins
• Rustic character typical of Santenay's southern Côte de Beaune style
• Benefits from short to medium-term cellaring

The vineyard has a documented history stretching back at least to 1914, when Domaine Bachey-Legros planted the vines that still produce fruit today, making this one of the oldest parcels within the Clos Rousseau complex. The longevity of these vines contributes to the concentration and depth found in Bachey-Legros bottlings. Other producers with holdings in Les Fourneaux include Thomas Morey, JC Boisset, and Antonin Rodet, representing a range of estate and négociant approaches to the terroir. The presence of both grower-producers and established négociant houses reflects the broader diversity of Burgundy's production landscape.

• Domaine Bachey-Legros holds vines planted in 1914
• Thomas Morey produces a well-regarded estate bottling from the climat
• JC Boisset and Antonin Rodet represent the négociant perspective on this terroir