2020 Maison Petit-Roy Monthélie Les Crays

WINEMAKER: Seiichi Saito
REGION: Burgundy, FR
VARIETAL: Pinot Noir
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic 

Pinot Noir from the lieu-dit 'Les Crays', which sits right on the border on Meursault. Whole bunch maceration, raised in old barrels for just over one year and then settled in tank for two months before bottling. Not fined or filtered, with only a small amount of sulfur added just before bottling.

The nose is full of sandalwood, cinnamon, cocoa and other spice. The palate is laced with blackberry fruit and plum. Fresh at the front, with a smooth entry. There is a slight grip, with lingering tannins. This has plush fruit, depth and power, with hints of spice, cool menthol and tobacco. More serious and deep than the others. Opens up well with air, and is smoother and more approachable after a day or two. Cellar for a bit, or decant if drinking now.

Seiichi makes a wide range of wines from throughout the Côte d'Or. A portion of these are from his own vineyards, with a surface area of just over 1.5ha. Seiichi works with nature, practicing biodynamics to ensure the grapes are healthy and of the highest quality. He also purchases grapes from other growers, as a means to make enough to survive and slowly grow his own domaine. For those new to discover Seiichi's wines, you will be pleased to know that he has a tonne of experience under his belt. He honed his craft with a long stint at Domaine Simon Bize, before spending time with some of the more prominent domaines in Burgundy, such as Leflaive, JF-Mugnier and Armand Rousseau. With a good ten year's of training and knowledge, he started his own micro-négoce operation in 2017. Seiichi is confident in his preferences, choosing to work with minimal intervention, and only using old oak for élevage. His wines are polished, sturdy, and approachable at a young age.