Domaine Barolet-Pernot Sous la Velle Chardonnay Saint-Romain 2023

Tucked just behind the better-known slopes of the Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain feels like a secret you’re only told once you’ve earned it. The village forms a natural amphitheater of limestone and light, perched at higher elevation and blessed with cooling breezes that give its wines a distinctive tension and clarity. It’s here that Romain Barolet-Pernot, a fourth-generation grower, has quietly transformed his family domaine into one of Burgundy’s most exciting under-the-radar stories.

Established in 1957, Domaine Barolet-Pernot long supplied fruit to prestigious houses like Olivier Leflaive. When Romain took the reins, he made a decisive shift: reclaiming the domaine’s best parcels, farming more organically, and focusing on small-batch wines that speak clearly of place. The result is Chardonnay that reflects Saint-Romain’s stony soils and altitude with precision—pure, energetic, and beautifully composed.

This bottling comes from the Sous la Velle vineyard, a steep, east- and southeast-facing slope just beneath the village itself. The soils here are classic Saint-Romain limestone—hard, rocky, and unforgiving—forcing the vines (averaging 30 years old) to dig deep. Hand-harvested fruit is gently whole-cluster pressed, fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel, then aged for 11 months in older French oak to preserve freshness and terroir expression. In the glass, the wine opens with aromas of fresh citrus, poached quince, wildflowers, and light herbs, layered with a subtle note of warm toast. The palate is medium-bodied, broad, and silky, balancing quiet richness with a lifted, mineral-driven finish that feels unmistakably alpine.