Sous le Château means “under the castle,” a reference to the ruins of the medieval Château de Saint-Romain on the limestone cliffs above. The site is steep, with an east/southeast exposure and distinctively white limestone-rich soils that impart a singular mineral intensity to the wine. Domaine Barolet-Pernot’s parcel here is planted to old chardonnay vines, tended by the same family that has farmed Saint-Romain since the 1500s and whose Puligny-Montrachet holdings trace back through Huguette Pernot’s marriage into the family in 1957.

Romain Barolet-Pernot, who has managed the 14-hectare estate since 2017, handles the Sous le Château fruit with a light touch. The chardonnay is hand-harvested and pressed full-cluster, then gravity settled and fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. It spends 11 months resting between older French oak cask and tank. In the glass, the wine opens with grapefruit and lemon zest, fresh ginger, crushed stones, and white peach. The palate is long and elegant, with heady linden blossom throughout. Stately and delightful.