Saint Salonius

The Abbaye de Lérins started to recently develop a wine with the limitless potential of the Pinot Noir grape.

Pinot Noir, like Chardonnay, is a variety which originates from the Burgundy and Champagne areas (Côtes de Nuit).  Unlike Chardonnay, Pinot Noir was not exported to areas such as the “New World” on a regular basis.

Estates such as the Abbey of Lérins which choose to produce such wines make a deliberate choice for innovation. Pinot Noir is a fine and complex wine; however one cannot compare the characteristics of Saint Salonius to the great vintages produced in Burgundy.

The vineyards which choose to produce these elitist vintages use special techniques to separate what they believe to be the best of the harvest, whilst sometimes forgetting that the taste of consumers can change with time.

In addition to providing the characteristics required for Chardonnay, the soil of Saint Honorat also fills the criteria required to produce a good quality Pinot Noir, unaffected by the thinness sometimes suffered by a Pinot from Burgundy. Saint Salonius can be recognised by its deeper colour and more complex flavours, structure, delicate, generous and crisp.

The first vintage (2005), was entrusted exclusively to Jacques Chibois at the Bastide Saint Antoine in Grasse (two stars with the Michelin Guide since 1997, elected Chef of the year in 1997 and noted 18/20 in the Gault Millau guide). The quality of this wine which first attracted Mr. Chibois continues to increase. The sommelier at the same restaurant, Mr. Frederic Brochen, gave the 2008 vintage 19/20.

At a blind tasting with professionals and amateur wine experts held at the Bastide St Antoine, Saint Salonius came out as the winner, before famous vintages including not only Richebourg from the Domaine d’Anne Gros but also Clos Vougeot Grand Cru from Denis Mortet, a Clos Vougeot Grand Cru by Guy Castagnier, a Volnay from Arnaud Ente and a Pommard les Vaumuriens, all of which are wines particularly renowned in Burgundy.

Vintage years:

2007: quantity available 900 bottles
2008: quantity available 3,000 75cl bottles and 150 magnums

Winemaker’s notes: Varietal: 100% Pinot noir. Fruit is destalked and fermented with the skins on without pressing. Fermentation is carried out at 25°C in stainless steel thermostatically controlled tanks. The wine is aged in barrels made of French oak for 12 –15 months. The wine can be laid down for 10 years or more and should be decanted one hour before serving.