Olivier Leflaive Santenay Rouge 2018: Burgundy’s Earthier Side, with a Touch of Old-School Charm
Not every Burgundy Pinot Noir is an exercise in delicacy. Some have dirt under their fingernails, a stubborn tannic streak and a preference for autumnal flavours over pretty summer fruit. Olivier Leflaive’s Santenay Rouge 2018 belongs to this more robust tradition, although the exceptionally warm vintage has given it a softer, riper disposition.
There is cherry and raspberry, certainly, but the wine’s character lies in the darker details: woodland undergrowth, dried flowers, a suggestion of leather and an earthy finish that grows more interesting as the glass opens. It is a mature, quietly assertive Burgundy, with enough freshness to prevent its ripe fruit from becoming heavy.
The Basics
- Producer: Olivier Leflaive
- Wine: Santenay Rouge
- Vintage: 2018
- Appellation: Santenay AOC
- Region: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
- Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
- Vineyards: Several parcels within Santenay
- Average vine age: 40 years
- Altitude: 250–300 metres
- Soils: Clay-limestone
- Viticulture: Sustainable
- Harvest: Hand-picked
- Vinification: Fully destemmed grapes; 19 days of fermentation and maceration in open vats
- Ageing: 15 months, including 12 months in oak barrels (25% new) and three months in stainless steel
- Alcohol: 13% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 16–18°C
Santenay: The Rugged Southern Edge of the Côte de Beaune
Santenay sits at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune, where Burgundy begins to lose some of its aristocratic stiffness. The village is better known for sturdy, earthy reds than for the ethereal perfumes associated with Chambolle-Musigny or the exquisite finesse of Volnay.
That reputation is not entirely fair, but it contains a grain of truth. Santenay’s clay-limestone soils, particularly on the lower slopes, can produce Pinot Noir with substantial shoulders, pronounced tannins and a distinctly savoury temperament.
Olivier Leflaive assembles this cuvée from several parcels rather than relying on a single vineyard. The vines average forty years of age, growing between 250 and 300 metres above sea level.
The grapes were harvested by hand during the exceptionally favourable 2018 season, which delivered healthy fruit after a warm, dry summer. Ripeness was rarely a problem in Burgundy that year. The real challenge was preserving finesse and avoiding excessive extraction.
For a grape as sensitive as Pinot Noir, that distinction matters enormously. Its appeal is not merely a question of fruit concentration, but of texture, aromatic development and the ability to remain graceful even when the vintage is generous.
The Producer and Winemaking
Olivier Leflaive established his own wine business in Puligny-Montrachet in 1984, building a reputation particularly associated with the great white wines of the Côte de Beaune. His portfolio also includes reds from several of Burgundy’s most recognisable appellations.
The Santenay Rouge 2018 was made from entirely destemmed Pinot Noir, fermented in open vats over nineteen days. This relatively extended maceration allows the wine to develop colour, flavour and tannic structure without relying on the additional extraction associated with whole stems.
Ageing lasted fifteen months. Twelve were spent in oak barrels, a quarter of them new, followed by three months in stainless steel.
That final period brings the different barrel lots together before bottling. The proportion of new oak is substantial enough to contribute spice and a little polish, but not so aggressive that the wood becomes the wine’s defining feature.
The result is closer to the sturdier tradition of southern Côte de Beaune reds than to the delicate, floral Volnay often used as a benchmark for Burgundy’s more graceful Pinot Noirs.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Medium ruby, with the first garnet reflections appearing around the rim. Clear and luminous rather than deeply concentrated.
Bouquet: Ripe cherry and raspberry open the nose, followed by dried violet, woodland leaves and a faint suggestion of leather. With air, the fruit becomes darker and more subdued, making room for earthy nuances, a trace of cedar and a delicate toasted accent. There is something attractively autumnal about the bouquet, although it never loses the fragrance expected from Pinot Noir.
Palate: Supple at first, then surprisingly firm. The fruit is ripe and generous, but the wine avoids the syrupy excess that affected some 2018 Burgundies. Fine, persistent tannins provide a slightly rustic edge, while acidity keeps the middle palate alert. Red cherry, dark raspberry and a restrained oak spice give way to a savoury, earthy character. The texture is substantial without being bulky, although the wine lacks the exquisite precision of the finest Côte de Beaune villages.
Finish: Dry, moderately long and gently austere, with lingering red fruit, woodland notes and a faintly spicy tannic grip.
Our Verdict
Olivier Leflaive’s Santenay Rouge 2018 is an appealing, slightly rugged Burgundy, with mature fruit, an earthy temperament and enough tannic definition to remain interesting.
Its weakness is the price. At around €60, it enters a fiercely competitive part of the Burgundy market, and this village-level Pinot Noir does not quite possess the refinement or depth needed to dominate that company. Enjoyable and characterful, certainly, but hardly a bargain.
The producer’s suggested drinking window ended in 2025. A well-stored bottle should still offer pleasure, but there is little reason to postpone opening it.
Price
€60.00 for a 750 ml bottle.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
