Discover the Saint-Romain appellation
and its cuvée from Hospices de Beaune

The style of Saint-Romain wines

Saint-Romain white wines are made exclusively from Chardonnay, the quintessential Burgundy grape variety. They are distinguished by a taut, chiselled style. The nose often develops aromas of citrus (lemon, grapefruit), green apple, white flowers and sometimes a touch of chalk or gunflint. On the palate, wines from the Saint-Romain appellation have a marked acidity that brings freshness and length, with a straight rather than full or opulent texture.

Compared to some of the richer whites of the Côte de Beaune (Meursault in particular), they offer less fat but more vivacity and aromatic purity. Over time, wines from the Saint-Romain appellation can delicately evolve towards notes of honey, dried fruit and hazelnut, while retaining an elegant mineral structure.

Buy a Saint-Romain wine at the Hospices de Beaune auction with Albert Bichot

Each year, the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune auctions a single cuvée from this highly reputed high-altitude appellation: Saint-Romain cuvée Joseph Menault. We offer two purchase options, from one bottle to a full barrel. You can also find our older vintages of Saint-Romain immediately available in our online store. Optional personalization of the label with your name

The terroir of Saint-Romain

The Saint-Romain terroir, which can be spotted from afar by its famous cliff, sits high above the Côte de Beaune. It is distinguished by its relatively high altitude, between 300 and 400 meters. This position brings cooler temperatures, favoring slow ripening of the grapes and preservation of acidity. The soils are predominantly limestone, often stony and shallow, which enhances the minerality and tension of the wines. The varied exposure of the slopes allows for a diversity of profiles, but always maintains a lively, upright structure.

This terroir gives the white wines great freshness, a pure expression of fruit and a marked mineral signature.

Every year, Albert Bichot vinifies several parcels in the Saint-Romain appellation. So it's with this intimate knowledge of the appellation's terroirs that we buy (almost) every year at the Hospices de Beaune auction the splendid Joseph Menault cuvée. As with all the Hospices de Beaune and Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges wines we buy at auction, we are very subtle when it comes to ageing these great wines for a great cause, especially when it comes to choosing the barrels in which to age them. To find out more, click here.

Saint-Romain climats within the Hospices de Beaune parcel of land

• Saint-Romain cuvée Joseph Menault: Le Village Haut and Sous la Velle

Saint-Romain appellation map

Etymology & history

The etymology of Saint-Romain goes back to Christian tradition: the village is named after Saint Romain, a locally venerated bishop or monk. The name "Romain" comes from the Latin Romanus, meaning "of Rome" or "Roman", reflecting the influence of the Church and Romanization in the region. Over the centuries, the site has retained this name, combining religious heritage with local identity.

Discover all the appellations of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune

Key facts about the Saint-Romain appellation