Domaine de la Croix Senaillet

The Domaine de la Croix Senaillet is located in southern Burgundy, in Davayé, right in the heart of the Mâconnais wine region. The estate is near the prehistoric site of the famous Roche de Solutré. Taking over in 1992 from their father Maurice Martin, who devoted himself entirely to the vineyard starting in 1969, Richard and Stéphane Martin now run the estate, bringing fresh energy and new ideas, with a single guiding principle: quality.

The 26 hectares of Domaine de la Croix Senaillet are spread across a mosaic of more than 50 plots within the "Grand Site de France" of Solutré–Pouilly–Vergisson. The vines, averaging 40 years of age, are planted exclusively with Chardonnay. Most of these vines face the rising sun on gentle slopes that extend the eastern flank of the Solutré and Vergisson rock formations. The soils consist of marly limestone from the Middle and Upper Jurassic periods. Through weathering, they yield clayey silt that can be carried down the slopes by runoff.

The vineyards of Domaine de la Croix Senaillet are cultivated using certified organic farming methods. Harvesting the grapes at optimal ripeness is one of the winemaker’s challenges, as it determines the final quality of the wine. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are gently conveyed by a conveyor belt to the presses. This direct pressing is slow and performed at low pressure to obtain the purest possible juice (must), which best expresses the aromatic finesse of the Chardonnay grape variety. Before bottling, all wines from Domaine de la Croix Senaillet are aged on their fine lees for 10 months, which gives them a smooth roundness and greater complexity.