Sous Roche Dumay

Sous Roche Dumay sits within the Saint-Aubin appellation on the Côte de Beaune, tucked into the Saint-Aubin valley that historically served as a significant communication route before 1000 AD. At 350 meters elevation, the climat occupies higher ground than many Côte de Beaune premier crus, which directly influences the cool, continental climate tempered by altitude. The southeast to southwest aspect provides a generous arc of sun exposure, compensating for the cooler temperatures at elevation and enabling reliable Chardonnay ripening. The climat appears in regulatory documents under the alternate designation Sur Gamay / Sous Roche Dumay, reflecting the historically layered nomenclature common to Burgundian land records.

• Located in Saint-Aubin, Côte de Beaune, in the broader Burgundy wine region of France
• Elevation of 350 meters places it among the higher premier cru sites in the Côte de Beaune
• Southeast to southwest aspect maximizes sun exposure across the full arc of the day
• The Saint-Aubin valley was a major communication corridor predating the year 1000 AD

The soils of Sous Roche Dumay are argilo-calcaire, the classic Burgundian combination of clay and limestone, but here the balance strongly favors limestone at roughly 90% chalk with minimal clay. This chalk-dominant profile promotes excellent drainage while providing the mineral scaffolding that defines the appellation's character. The climate is continental with a temperate maritime influence, and the altitude introduces a cooling effect that preserves natural acidity in the fruit. The combination of chalky, free-draining soils and a cool, altitude-moderated growing season creates conditions particularly well suited to Chardonnay, producing wines with taut structure and pronounced mineral expression rather than tropical richness.

• Argilo-calcaire soils with approximately 90% chalk and very low clay content
• Free-draining limestone soils preserve freshness and encourage deep root development
• Continental climate with temperate maritime influence moderated by high elevation
• Cool temperatures at 350 meters maintain high natural acidity in the fruit

Sous Roche Dumay produces dry white wine exclusively from Chardonnay. The style is elegant and mineral-driven, reflecting both the chalk-rich soils and the cool, high-altitude site. Typical aromatic notes include white flowers, blanched almonds, stone fruit, and hazelnut, with a background richness contributed by the butter character that Côte de Beaune Chardonnay often develops through winemaking. On the palate, wines are medium-bodied with a saline minerality that threads through the mid-palate and concludes on a chalky, persistent finish. The balance of fruit precision, nutty complexity, and mineral tension places Sous Roche Dumay firmly in the Saint-Aubin house style: serious white Burgundy offering quality that frequently exceeds its appellation price point.

• Exclusively dry white wine from Chardonnay
• Aromas of white flowers, blanched almonds, stone fruit, hazelnut, and butter
• Medium-bodied with saline minerality and a long chalky finish
• Elegant and structured rather than rich or tropical in profile

Three producers are documented as working with fruit from Sous Roche Dumay: Joseph Colin, Moingeon Florent, and Pierre Brisset. Saint-Aubin's position slightly off the main Côte de Beaune tourist trail has historically kept producer profiles more modest than neighboring Chassagne-Montrachet or Puligny-Montrachet, but the appellation attracts growers who prioritize quality and site expression. The small 2-hectare total area of the climat means that production is inherently limited, and individual domaine bottlings offer a concentrated window into this specific terroir. Wine production in the Saint-Aubin area is documented from the medieval period onward, and the appellation received formal AOC recognition in 1937.

• Joseph Colin: a respected Saint-Aubin producer with a focus on mineral-driven whites
• Moingeon Florent: a domaine working with Sous Roche Dumay fruit
• Pierre Brisset: another documented producer from this climat
• Total climat size of 2 hectares keeps overall production volumes low