It’s Christmas Eve and here we are again, rifling through Remoissenet’s ancient cellar and emerging with yet another tiny trove of 45+-year-old elite red Burgundy. Just like the ‘66 Volnay we offered in August (and is set to arrive any day now), this 1972 treasure remains fast asleep in Remoissenet’s pitch-black, 14th-century cellar, waiting to be moved for the first time in its extraordinarily long life. But this time around, we’re not offering a village-level Pinot Noir. What lies in front of you is “Santenots,” one of the top Premier Crus in all of Volnay and, no, your eyes are not deceiving you—we’re able to offer it at the same $299 price! As for the vintage in question? Let’s just say that not too long ago, the prestigious Revue du Vin de France tasted through an exhaustive, multi-regional horizontal of 1972s and emerged with a shortlist of standouts that included Domaine Leroy’s Échézeaux, Château Latour’s Pauillac, and today’s Volnay Santenots from Remoissenet. As I’m sure you can guess, quantities are far fewer this time around, so if you’re quick enough to pull the trigger, congratulations, and take your time savoring each ounce of this rare liquid.

If you’re new around here, here’s how this epic and wildly rare cellar offer works: For every bottle we sell, Remoissenet GM/wine legend Pierre Rovani and cellarmaster Bernard Répolt will (1) personally remove every ‘shiner’ from their subterranean wine museum, (2) clean, recork, label and quality check each one, and (3) top off the winners with more of the same 1972 Volnay Santenots. Pierre conducts all of these painstaking measures because Remoissenet is a “merchant of pleasure,” meaning the end goal is to deliver a breathtakingly historic, perfectly enjoyable mature red Burgundy. Up to six bottles per person.

[NOTE: This is only available directly from Remoissenet’s cellar in Burgundy. Once we sell out of our allocated parcel, the order will be sent to Pierre Rovani, who will then begin preparing the wines. Given the current forecast, these orders may take up to 4-5 months to arrive. We will do our best to inform you of its shipping status as information comes along.]

To say that Remoissenet is a historic négociant would be a gross understatement. My first visit in 2007 with my father was an experience I’ll never forget, and has subsequently led to many return visits. Located in the center of Beaune, Pierre takes you through an iron gate and into a building that instantly transports you back to the medieval ages. That’s just the beginning: You then descend a flight of stairs and the temperature begins plummeting with each step until entering a vast cave below. This is Remoissenet’s cellar, originally built in the 1300s, which connects to the medieval walls of Beaune itself. 

The 2005 purchase of Remoissenet ushered in a new era at this historic firm (est. 1877). In addition to bringing in Répolt, who was previously at Louis Jadot, the new ownership team also added journalist-turned-GM Pierre-Antoine Rovani and winemaker Claudie Jobard, all of whom have re-established the property as a quality leader primarily through investments in vineyards and farming. A prime example: Remoissenet-owned vineyards are farmed biodynamically, and all contract growers are closely managed with an eye toward sustainability. Like many of their modern contemporaries, Remoissenet is redefining what it means to be a ‘négociant’ in Burgundy. They are much more than grape buyers and wine labelers—they are fully involved every step of the way.

But the other distinguishing feature (if not already obvious by now) of Remoissenet is its immense, museum-like collection of back-vintage bottlings. We’ve seen them firsthand while strolling through the catacombs with Répolt and Rovani—stacks of dusty “shiner” bottles, a miniature chalkboard hanging from one of the necks with the vintage and vineyard inscribed. And that, my friends, is where today’s ancient offer currently resides. For a wine geek, it’s more exciting than an amusement park ride, especially when you get to pull the cork on and literally taste history. 

Premier Cru Santenots is an interesting vineyard: It is located in the northern reaches of Meursault, which becomes Volnay, and is planted to both red and white grapes. The reds fall under the red-specific Volnay appellation, the whites under Meursault. The soils of the site riff on the classic clay/limestone mix, showing a reddish tint that indicates a high iron content. When it comes to the finest Pinot Noir, there’s really no argument: Along with “Taillepieds,” Caillerets, and “Clos des Chênes,” “Santenots” is one of the star crus of the appellation. So how does one with 48 years of age taste? To be completely honest, this is one of the few bottles in our six-plus year history that we were unable to taste—we were jostling with several European clients, so there was no time to have a sample airmailed. Therefore, you must take the trusted word of the Revue du Vin de France, Pierre Rovani himself (who places it above his ‘72 Grand Cru Clos Saint-Denis), and our vast experience with Remoissenet’s other ancient bottlings. I have no doubt in my mind this will stun with slow-building tertiary aromas of dried cherry, dried black raspberry, crushed earth, cacao, truffle, sous bois, barnyard, bouillon cube, iron, and vintage leather. I would expect this to perform best within the first hour of opening, in Burgundy stems, around a steady 60 degrees. Do not decant! If you’re fortunate enough to secure more than one bottle, enjoy them over the next five years. Happy Holidays!