Francoise & Denis Clair Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune Blanc 750 ML

Domaine Francoise & Denis Clair was founded in 1986 with 12 acres of Pinot Noir vines in Santenay coming from Denis Clair’s family, who were vignerons there for many generations. Over time they added parcels of Chardonnay, mainly from the neighboring village of St.-Aubin – the home of Francoise Clair. In 2000, their son and current winemaker Jean-Baptiste joined the family business and they have since then expanded production. The family now farms 37 acres (65% red and 35% white) and produces approximately 75,000 bottles annually. The Clairs work the soil naturally, using compost and plowing frequently, avoiding pesticides and herbicides. They harvest manually and make a rigorous selection of grapes. Reds are 90% destemmed and cold macerated in concrete tanks for about 10 days, then fermented for 8 days before pressing. Aging is done entirely in barrel (10-20% new) for roughly 15 months. Malolactic fermentations are done late to preserve the fruit. White grapes are left whole cluster and crushed before pneumatic pressing, then aged in barrels (up to 20% new), or a combination of barrel and tank depending on the wine, for 10 months on average. The Domaine’s wines are generous and expressive, while retaining a sense of purity and refinement. Read less