Tasted with Marcel Brubach in Solutré, 30 April 2021.

Domaine Marcel Brubach
Rue de la chapelle
71960 Solutré-Pouilly
Tel: +33 6 32 83 19 02
www.domainemarcelbrubach.com

Marcel is originally a native of Alsace – but he prefers the magic of Burgundy – and of course, his wife is from here too!

It all started in 2016 when Marcel got hold of his first hectare of vines. In 2018 came 4 more – so now he has 5 and all around the rock of Solutré – he explains, “It’s been a solo project from the start. I’ve only been commercialising with my own label, stepwise but it’s increasing each year. My main market for the wines is France but I’ve begun to do some export business too – I’m fortunate that at this stage I don’t have a client list that’s full of restaurants! Currently, looking at this year’s frost, a small harvest will be harder for me than the ‘confinement’ as I still have my bulk buyers – but if there’s no wine. All that said, Solutré was less affected by the frost than some places – but we probably lost about a third. I have 2 hectares in the climat of ‘Pommard’ – all the old-timers say it never frosts here – but this year it did!”

During an interesting discussion on elevage formats, Marcel said “I think the terroir shows best when using the classic 228-litre barrels – I have some larger formats but I don’t think it’s the same energy in the wines” – interesting…

Marcel on the 2019 vintage:
“The 2019 the volume was only about half ‘normal’ – but then we have a concentration that you don’t always see. I only started in 2016 but so far these are the best wines I’ve made. 2020 has a bit more acidity, salinity too – it has extra in some dimensions but it’s too early to say if those are better wines or not! The wines have been about one year in bottle already – the elevage of the Solutré is tank – I think it helps give a nice attack to the fruit.”

The wines…

My first visit and wines that I would certainly buy – only the ‘Diablotins’ was showing some excess of oak when I visited but I suspect you will hardly notice with another 18-24 months of maturity. Wines that are most definitely worth your time.

I like the labels used by Marcel – designed by his father, who is an architect, for his bottles he seals with normal cork:

2019 Macon Solutre – Les Condamines
That’s a nicely fresh nose – attractive and inviting. Supple, nicely concentrated – pure with fine energy. Mouth-watering, almost juicy – that’s completely delicious and tastily long too. ‘We drink this within about 2 years,‘ says Marcel – and why not, it’s already delicious.

2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée Diablotins
Named after two young sons. A series of small parcels some of which would be 1er cru – ‘but the assembly works best here.’ 8 months of older barrels for the elevage.
A rounder nose less energy, more depth of riper fruit – the oak present but modest. Supple, concentrated a little salinity at the start before layers of fine fruit with a stronger barrel accent – plenty of barrel cream that I’d prefer to fade – but quite honestly it’s completely delicious as it is!