Domaine Comte Senard
Aloxe-Corton, France
SA, VIC, NSW & TAS
One of the most charming and historic domaines in Aloxe-Corton, Domaine Comte Senard is a true custodian of the Corton hill. The estate’s cellar, restaurant and tasting rooms sit among the vines just outside the village, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Côte de Beaune and overlooking their renowned Clos des Meix Monopole.
Founded in the 18th century, the domaine has remained in the hands of the Senard family for generations, with a commitment to producing authentic expressions of Aloxe-Corton and the wider Corton terroir. Over time, the estate has assembled an exceptional collection of vineyards, including the prized Clos des Meix Monopole, Clos du Roi Grand Cru and Bressandes Grand Cru. Alongside these celebrated Pinot Noir sites, Comte Senard also produces distinctive whites, including their rare Clos des Meix Blanc and the only Aloxe-Corton Pinot Gris.
Today, the estate is guided by Lorraine Senard, who returned to Burgundy after gaining experience in wineries across the New World and France. Under her direction, Comte Senard has embraced a more detailed exploration of individual vineyard sites, with a focus on precision, elegance and the expression of each climat. Working alongside her brother Mathieu, who oversees the commercial side of the domaine, Lorraine has also become a strong advocate for sustainable agriculture, organic vineyard management and thoughtful, minimal intervention winemaking.
Lorraine has reintroduced indigenous fermentation across the range and, in most vintages, incorporates 100% whole bunch fermentation for the reds, alongside gentler extraction methods designed to preserve perfume, freshness and finesse.
The defining quality of Comte Senard is purity. Corton is a vast and varied landscape, traditionally associated with powerful, structured wines shaped by the strength of its Grand Cru terroirs. Comte Senard embraces this inherent character while refining it through a more elegant lens, producing wines that combine depth and presence with remarkable fragrance, balance and finesse. Their wines speak clearly of Corton, but with a sense of restraint and precision that is distinctly their own.
2024 ‘Ana’ Bourgogne Blanc
The newest addition to the Comte Senard white wine range, 'Ana' Bourgogne Blanc is sourced from the estate's youngest Chardonnay vines, planted on its most recently established parcel. While carrying the humble Bourgogne appellation, the wine receives the same meticulous vineyard care and thoughtful élevage as the domaine's flagship white Burgundies. It is a wonderful introduction to the precision, generosity and quiet confidence that defines Comte Senard's Chardonnay.
Winemaking
The fruit is fermented in French oak barriques before maturing for 12 months in barrel, with approximately 60% new oak. Despite the significant oak influence, the élevage is carefully judged, allowing freshness, texture and purity of fruit to remain at the forefront.
Tasting Notes
A vibrant and expressive Bourgogne Blanc, offering aromas of fennel, green melon and wild herbs layered with hints of lemon oil and delicate white florals. The palate is elegant rather than powerful, combining generous texture with bright, driving acidity and a long, finely balanced finish. A remarkably refined Bourgogne that punches well above its classification.
2024 ‘Sous la Velle’ Meursault
Sourced from the historic lieu-dit of Sous La Velle, a well-regarded vineyard situated at the foot of the Meursault slope, just below the village. While not classified as a Premier Cru, lieux-dits such as Sous La Velle are individually named vineyard sites with distinctive soils and long-established identities, often producing wines of remarkable character that rival more highly classified neighbours. Here, the clay-limestone soils lend both generosity and mineral precision, resulting in a Meursault that is elegant, quietly confident and unmistakably expressive of its site.
Winemaking
The organically certified vineyards are harvested entirely by hand before the fruit undergoes natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine is matured for 16 months in French oak barrels, approximately 50% new, building texture and complexity while preserving freshness and site expression. A small addition of sulfur is made only at bottling.
Tasting Notes
A beautifully lifted nose of citrus, fresh hazelnuts and delicate honey gives way to layers of ripe stone fruit, almond meal and finely integrated oak. Rich and textural without heaviness, the palate is driven by vibrant acidity and a long, mineral finish. Refined and structured, this is a Meursault that captures both the generosity of the appellation and the distinctive personality of the Sous La Velle vineyard.
2024 ‘Cuvée Auguste’ Bourgogne Rouge
Named after Philippe Senard's son, 'Cuvée Auguste' is described as vibrant, expressive and full of life, qualities that shine through in the wine itself. Sourced from the estate's younger Pinot Noir plantings in and around Aloxe-Corton, it offers an accessible introduction to Comte Senard's refined house style, where purity of fruit, freshness and elegance take precedence over power.
Winemaking
The fruit is hand-harvested and naturally fermented with indigenous yeasts, with 100% whole bunches retained to build perfume, structure and complexity. The wine is matured for 14 months in French oak barriques, around 50% new, allowing the bright fruit and fine tannins to remain at the forefront while adding subtle texture and spice.
Tasting Notes
A fragrant and expressive Bourgogne Rouge, opening with aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, sweet spice and liquorice, lifted by a delicate peppery note from the whole bunch fermentation. With air, the fruit becomes increasingly generous and vibrant. The palate is fresh, juicy and balanced, combining supple red fruit with fine tannins and a gentle savoury chew, finishing long, bright and effortlessly drinkable. An elegant everyday Burgundy that overdelivers on its appellation.
2024 ‘Cuvée Jules’ Aloxe Corton Village Rouge
Named in honour of Jules Senard, the founder of the estate, 'Cuvée Jules' is sourced from five parcels across Aloxe-Corton: Les Bruyères, Les Boutières, Les Morais, Les Caillettes and Les Nujots. Together, these vineyards provide a wonderfully complete expression of the village, combining Aloxe-Corton's characteristic structure with the elegance and finesse that define Comte Senard's house style. It is a benchmark village wine that offers an insightful introduction to both the appellation and the estate.
Winemaking
The fruit is hand-harvested and naturally fermented with indigenous yeasts using 100% whole bunches, enhancing aromatic lift, freshness and structure. The wine is matured for 14 months in French oak barriques, approximately 40% new and 60% seasoned, allowing the purity of the fruit and the identity of the vineyards to remain at the forefront.
Tasting Notes
A deep ruby colour introduces an expressive bouquet of vibrant red cherries, wild berries and delicate floral notes, layered with subtle savoury herbs and the gentle spice of whole bunch fermentation. The palate is supple and immediately inviting, yet beneath the bright fruit lies Aloxe-Corton's hallmark sinewy tannin and finely woven structure. Beautifully balanced with freshness, finesse and a persistent, refined finish, this is a village Burgundy that will drink superbly in its youth while rewarding three to seven years in the cellar.
2024 ‘Les Valozieres’ Aloxe Corton 1er Cru
Situated on the lower slopes beneath Bressandes, the Premier Cru vineyard of Les Valozières is characterised by its clay-rich soils, producing wines of depth, structure and longevity. As Comte Senard's only Premier Cru red, it offers a compelling expression of Corton, combining the appellation's natural power with the estate's hallmark precision and elegance. While approachable with decanting, it rewards patience, revealing increasing complexity with time in both bottle and glass.
Winemaking
The organically certified vineyard is harvested entirely by hand, with 100% whole bunch fermentation employed according to the character of the vintage. Following a cold pre-fermentation maceration and temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine is matured for 16 months in French oak barrels, approximately 40% new. This measured élevage preserves both the purity of fruit and the distinctive character of the site.
Tasting Notes
Brilliant ruby in colour, the wine opens with an expressive bouquet of red plum, cherry and wild berries, layered with notes of cocoa, fresh herbs, mint and finely integrated spice. The palate is concentrated and beautifully structured, balancing impressive depth with remarkable finesse. Firm, finely textured tannins provide shape and persistence, while vibrant acidity carries the wine through a long, savoury finish. A refined and age-worthy Premier Cru that captures the strength and nobility of Corton with exceptional balance.
2024 ‘Clos du Roi’ Corton Rouge Grand Cru
The most renowned of all Corton Grand Cru vineyards, Clos du Roi sits at the summit of the appellation and has long been considered one of Burgundy’s most aristocratic sites. Comte Senard’s small parcel produces one of the estate’s most revered bottlings, a wine that perfectly captures the duality of Corton: immense power balanced by refinement, elegance and grace.
Winemaking
The organically certified vineyard is harvested entirely by hand, with cold pre-fermentation maceration and temperature-controlled fermentation used to gently extract the character of the site. In 2021, the fruit was fully destemmed before natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then matured for 16 months in French oak barrels, approximately 40% new, allowing the complexity and structure of Clos du Roi to shine through.
Tasting Notes
A commanding expression of Corton Grand Cru, offering a complex bouquet of blackberry, turned earth, woody spice and stony minerality, lifted by notes of red berries, aniseed herbs and subtle floral perfume. The palate combines richness and intensity with remarkable finesse, showing the depth and authority expected from Clos du Roi while maintaining freshness and precision. Fine but plentiful tannins provide a graceful framework, supported by vibrant acidity and a long, persistent finish. A truly distinguished Grand Cru with the structure to reward two decades of careful cellaring.