Saint-Aubin

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The Saint-Aubin vineyard on the Côte de Beaune forms a rectilinear relief of tectonic origin stretching for about 25 kilometres in a general north-east/south-west direction.
• The Saint-Aubin valley, shaped like a sharp bend, forms a south-facing cirque where the hamlet of Gamay is situated.
• On the left bank of the valley, the substrate rests at its base on Callovian platy limestones known as "Dalle nacrée", topped by an Oxfordian series alternating banked limestones and marly levels, with summit plateaus exceeding 450 metres.
• On the right bank of the valley, the slope is lower, reaching 350 metres, and rests solely on the "Dalle nacrée".
• The plots delimited for harvest lie on the well-exposed slopes of the valley, between 300 and 430 metres in altitude, mainly on the left bank, with young, carbonate, shallow, well-drained soils, rather stony in the upper slopes and deeper and clayey on the terraces and at the foot of the slope.
• The climate, a cool oceanic tendency tempered by continental or southern influences, shows a moderate rainfall pattern of about 750 millimetres per year and an average annual temperature of 10.5°C.

• The Saint-Aubin appellation d'origine contrôlée, whose wines' reputation was already established, was recognised in 1937 after the wines had long been sold under the names Volnay, Pommard or Beaune.
• A classification of Saint-Aubin's "climats" planted with fine grape varieties was drawn up in 1860 by the Comité de viticulture of the Beaune district, serving as the basis for the list of premiers crus set in 1943.
• Pinot noir accounts for 25% of the grape varieties planted and is found throughout the Saint-Aubin vineyard, while chardonnay is preferentially reserved for the slopes lower down the valley.
• The sector on either side of the hamlet of Gamay, where the climats classified as premier cru are delimited on the best-exposed slopes, is planted almost exclusively with chardonnay.
• The vines are trained according to the customs of the Côte de Beaune, with planting densities above 9000 vines per hectare, and the wines are aged for at least 9 months before release.

• The white wines show a pale gold colour and combine elegance on the palate with a round, full texture, with notes of honey and almond paste, followed by spicy nuances with age.
• The premier cru white wines are marked by a touch of minerality and have great ageing potential.
• The red wines have a deep colour and combine a solid tannic structure with pronounced fruit, their liveliness giving them great elegance.
• The premier cru red wines develop chocolatey and spicy notes over the years.

• The relief, geological diversity and variety of soils foster a wide palette of nuances in the wines, which has long prompted producers to differentiate the climats of the winegrowing territory.
• The wines' long ageing, while favouring good bottle-ageing potential, helps reinforce the expression of this diversity of climats, perceptible in the tasting.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Dénominations géographiques complémentaires

• Saint-Aubin ou Saint-Aubin Côte de Beaune AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Bas de Vermarain à l'Est AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Derrière Chez Edouard AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Derrière la Tour AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Echaille AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru En Créot AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru En la Ranché AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru En Montceau AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru En Remilly AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru En Vollon à l'Est AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Es Champs AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru La Chatenière AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Le Bas de Gamay à l'Est AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Le Charmois AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Le Puits AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Castets AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Champlots AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Combes AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Combes au Sud AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Cortons AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Frionnes AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Murgers des dents de chien AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Perrières AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Les Travers de Marinot AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Marinot AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Pitangeret AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Sous Roche Dumay AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Sur Gamay AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Sur le sentier du Clou AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Vignes Moingeon AOC (PDO)
• Saint-Aubin premier cru Village AOC (PDO)

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — BIVB