Burgundy, Bourgogne Côte d’Or, Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi, France

Pinot Noir.
Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the stately home of Philip the Bold, the first Duke of Burgundy. The duke was famous for banning the cultivation of Gamay in the Côte d’Or, in his edict of 1395 which stated that only Pinot Noir could be used to produce red wines from these fabled slopes.

The Château has a flamboyant, multi-coloured tiled roof ‘en tuile vernissée de Bourgogne’, one of the region’s most distinctive architectural traditions. In 2010, it was taken over by French bank Crédit Agricole after an extended period of neglect. The current owners have invested heavily in the estate, building a modern cuverie in 2014 and appointing a new, dynamic team led by Chef de Cave François des Moutis. François is focused on expressing the quality of the domaine’s single vineyards through sensitive winemaking. By embracing minimal new oak and gentler extraction, today, the wines of Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi offer supple, characterful expressions of their well-respected sites.

The domaine owns 106 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards which they are converting to organics. 72 hectares are in Mercurey, while 18 are in Côte d’Or villages, such as Chassagne and Saint-Aubin. Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi increased their vineyard holdings in 2019 to include eight hectares in the Côte de Nuits, with parcels of Gevrey-Chambertin, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Petite Chapelle’, Clos de Vougeot and Chambolle-Musigny.

The Bourgogne Blanc Côte d’Or and the Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune `Les Foires both come from high elevation vineyards above Saint-Aubin. Like the Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes, made from old vines in Santenay and the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, these wines have remarkable concentration and intensity, performing well above their price point.

1. Jancis Robinson MW (2020 Vintage, 16.5/20):
   "A fragrant, floral nose with red cherry and wild strawberry notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a refreshing acidity that carries the fruit to a long, mineral finish. A polished expression of Pinot Noir from the Côte d'Or's limestone soils."

2. Decanter (2019 Vintage, 90 points):
   "Elegant and supple, with raspberry and violet aromas. The palate offers juicy red fruit, subtle spice, and fine-grained tannins. Aged in 15% new oak, it balances purity with subtle complexity—drinkable now but will evolve over 5–7 years."

3. VinVM (2021 Vintage):
   "Bright ruby in color, with aromas of cranberry, rose petal, and earth. The palate is vibrant, with crunchy red fruit, a touch of saline minerality, and a clean, persistent finish. Showcases the domaine's shift toward lighter extraction and terroir transparency."