Tasted with Mathieu Mélinand in Fleurie, 27 February 2023.
Domaine des Marrans
109 route des Marrans,
69820 Fleurie
Tel: +33 4 74 04 13 21
www.domainedesmarrans.com
More reports with Domaine des Marrans
Mathieu on 2022:
“Happy? Yes and no – yes for the style of the wine – ripe but not too much – not to the level of 2020 but we suffered from the dryness – there was a little hail in Marrans and Clos Pavilion too – we made about 1-third less and it wasn’t the easiest to vinify. But the draining soils didn’t help us at the end of July and start of August. It’s our third consecutive vintage which lacked volume.”
Mathieu on 2021:
“2021 was a very average harvest here – the different areas were very differently affected – but we ended up with about one-third lower volume than would be our average. We had lower volumes in 2020 too and whilst it’s a bit less typical because of the concentration, we still like the balance that we have – I could sense that something a little herbal was starting to come so stopped my macerations a couple of days early. All the normal cuvées were made – just less of each one:”
The wines…
Excellent wines again – some worth a special search.
‘Technical corks’ for the first two wines – and then ‘natural’ cork for the others:
2021 Fleurie Les Marrans
Vines around the domaine – 4.5 ha worth and the largest cuvée of the domaine. Some large oak foudres for elevage. It depends on the vintage volume – if lower there’s a single bottling – which would be the logistical preference here – but with more volume there may be a second bottling too.
Plenty of colour. Nice depth – slightly metallic but a good fruit too – there’s nothing green. Supple and silky – slowly some tannin rises and makes for a more velvet texture – generous flavour, almost juicy finishing – that’s a delicious wine!
From the climat of Champagne which they are not allowed to use – hence the modest middle-finger to that in the cuvée name! Much stonier and less soil here than the Marrans area. Half cement half 500-litre barrel elevage
Also plenty of colur. Higher tones – forward, dark-red fruit – a super invitation and slowly adding some floral notes too. More structural but beautifully shaped – I love the clarity of this flavour – it’s a beauty – extra in all directions – that could be a great Fleurie!
A clos in la Chapelle du Bois next to the clos that’s now with Chateau de la Chaize. This is the historic parcel of the domaine before the buildings were constructed here in Marrans.
Narrower but with higher and fresher tones – that’s also a very lovely nose. Broader – fuller – also structured but this structure is a little hidden by the extra concentration here. More intense finishing too. I’d rather drink the previous wine today – but in 2-3 years this will be the best – bravo!
Mathieu’s brother, Camille is also here at the domaine since 2020 – here’s a cuvée in his name:
2021 Camille Mélinand, Fleurie
Red fruit and slightly menthol aromatics – it’s a nice combination. Silky, broad – vibrant. Concentrated red fruit. A texture of velour to finish too – that’s a lovely wine!
2021 Chiroubles Au Côtes
A single parcel of 2.5 ha. Granite, a little decayed, only 30 cm to the bedrock – a 45-year-old average age for these vines and at about 400m so almost always the last parcel to be harvested – sometimes they wait longer for the Beaujolais as the yield can be more there.
Lots of depth here – maybe a hint herby too. The only wine with the faintest suggestion of green (so far) but at this tiny level I find it a nice additional complexity. Still a delicious wine.
2021 Morgon Corcelette
5 different parcels of different ages nearly 50-years-old on average
A very slight reduction gives way to extra freshness – a more vertical nose of high and low tones. Super sleek – both broad yet still direct – muscular, again a texture of velour. Lithe muscle – that’s another really super wine – and for waiting a year or two.
And one white:
The lieu-dit is Poulet. 10-year-old vines next to their gamay close to Château Pizay. ‘We get some frost at the bottom of Fleurie but it’s very rare here – we didn’t have a problem.’ 25% demi-muids – 600-litre – with some age – the rest was tank elevage.
Good freshness, not too ripe, slightly spiced. Hmm, this is layered has good freshness – the fruit is ripe – but not a bit too much. This is easily one of the best BJB of the vintage – bravo! Juicy citrus with a small cushion to finish.