Description
The huddle of cellars that comprises the winery of Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, situated under their old house in the heart of the village, hardly seems big enough for the domaine’s 12.5 hectares of vineyard. But the ever-enterprising Caroline Lestimé also makes her ‘negociant’ wines here. These are negociant wines only in the sense that she doesn’t own the land. She does, however, manage the vineyards and make the wines, giving them the same stamp of individuality and integrity as those of the domaine.
The Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Les Planchots’ offers excellent value. It is fresh on the nose, with lovely intensity on the palate and a lively acidity lifting the finish. As the grander white wines of the Cote d’Or become ever more expensive, these wines from lesser-known villages will be where the smart palates go in search of quality and value.