Bruno Colin Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravieres 2016

Silky, structured, and fine grained, the name of this red premier cru, "Les Gravieres," evokes the gravely limestone soil. Aromas of red berries and forest floor unfold with rustic elegance.

Pinot Noir. Michel Colin was the third generation in his family to grow grapes in Burgundy within the prestigious Cote de Beaune. When he retired in 2003, he handed the property over to his sons, Philippe and Bruno, who split the holdings between them to bottle under separate labels. With the help of his wife, Stephanie, Bruno farms about 20 acres of land, in thirty different parcels scattered over five villages, with sometimes as little as just a few rows per parcel. To farm under these circumstances is quintessentially Burgundian, where the old Napoleonic codes of inheritance (evolved from Roman law) divide property equally among offspring. Parcels farmed by any one family continue to get smaller and smaller as they are distributed among relatives.