Tasted in Marsannay with Arthur Clair, Bruno’s youngest son, and Bruno too, 18 October 2022.
Domaine Bruno Clair
5 Rue du Vieux Collège
21160 Marsannay-la-Côte
Tel: +33 3 80 52 28 95
www.bruno-clair.com
More reports for Domaine Bruno Clair
Arthur on 2022:
“The malos done in 4 days in some cuvées in 22 – quite the contrast to 2021 – 30-32 hl/ha was our result.”
Arthur on 2021:
“For some plots we very badly affected – of course, more the whites, for instance, we have lost 90% in Charlemagne. So 2021 was about the same volume as in 2016 – the problems in 2016 were more localised but we can say half a harvest. For us it was the frost that reduced the yields – giving us an average 20 hl/ha – the reds were actually in very good shape at the end with All the wines 12.5-12.8° – yes some porriture in the whites – but we didn’t have much triage to do with the reds. The malolactics, in many cases, were quite long. It was still a vintage where we were happy to use 20-40% whole-clusters, depending on the cuvée.”
The wines…
Some of the wines were later in their elevage than usual – but my impression is of a high quality range that is peppered with frankly great wines.
Hmm – a broad and forward nose with modest wc perfume. Silky, hmm, broadening over the palate too – lovely, with creamy middle and finishing flavours. Yes!
2021 Marsannay Charmes au Pretes
First vintage in 2018 – it was blended before. Can also be called Rosey. The vines are about 40-years-old now. 10 of the domaine’s 25 hectares are in Marsannay
More direct and modestly firework reductive aromas. Broader with more attack, more reductive too – ‘we used plenty of sulfur in the vines in this vintage – I think some of this has affected the reduction of some cuvées.’
2021 Marsannay Les Longeroies
A larger aromatic – a wine that has only recently finished its malo – a graphite minerality here. Broad, muscular, lots of depth. Really vibrant finishing.
1924 – the domaine’s ldest vines in Marsannay – ‘in Longerois only about 15 hl/ha which almost normal for here’
Directly here is more presence and depth of aroma – wearing its 100% whole clusters very well. Mouth-filling not the finest texture but the most deliciously persistent – ooh that’s so good – and potentially a great one!
2021 Marsannay Grasses Têtes
‘Always the most tannic…’
Depth – airy width – nicely inviting aromas. Much more direct, wiry muscle, intense – oh that’s so good – I love that finish.
Higher toned – so attractive – yes! Really a wine of perfume and elegantly bubbling energy – such finesse – bravo!
Just above Bonnes-Mares, ‘it suffers a lot in the hot vintages.’ Lots of limestone here, similar to En la Route de Vergy.
More depth but that’s a little reduction speaking – the strongly perfumed top notes become clearer and clearer. Great shape in the mouth – width, melting flavour – just a hint more structure to this shape – more impact too – yet cut from a similar cloth of finesse. Great finishing and potentially great villages
2021 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
The third vintage for this wine. Bruno knew the owners and they were looking for someone to take care of the vines and luckily, he says, he was chosen.
Another airy, open nose – not showing so much – other than energy. Supple – here’s a hint more concentration and a suggestion of creaminess to some wines like this. Long, mineral, slightly structural shaped in the finishing flavours – a wine that just keeps getting better and better
2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Jarrons
A nose that’s more direct and red-berry fruited – but also growing in perfume. WC perfume in this breadth of flavour too, slightly saline – and with a super length – slightly furry tannin – almost chalky.
Since 17 have been putting a lot of energy into these vines – before was a local worker who did the vines – They are very happy with the evolution.
The nose is very red and almost textured – broad and pure fruit. Cool, broad, melting, moving, over the palate then bursting with next-level flavour – bravo – just a gorgeous thing. Finesse again but with plenty of energy.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin
From three, including a little Belair 1er cru and Petits Fontenys – vines mainly planted in the 50s and 60s
Extra depth – really a concentration to this aroma. Wide, slowly growing in intensity but always with sufficient cushion – slightly accented flavours of wc and a juicy finish with a different accent of faint barrel today – I’m sure that will be gone in 6 months. Really a fine villages.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Fonteny
More direct and vibrant aroma. Broader, more elegance and finesse here – beautifully textured, slowly melting – fluid in style though I’d like a bite more impact – great texture, slowly chalky in the finish. A beauty
Open, airy, perfumed wine – not a forceful aromatic but a very inviting one. The structure is visible here, a little tannin too but without grain. Beautiful finishing flavour – squeezing the last drops out of a fruit – delicious. Yes!
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers
Planted in 1958
A deeper nose with lots of concentration. Hmm, now here’s a wine that is more focused on texture to start, beautiful, and slightly cushioned with velvet. Only from the middle to the finish comes a darker berry fruit that slowly mouthwatering spreads over the palate. Super…
Planted in 1957, with the same plant material as the Cazetiers, planted by Bruno’s father. ‘Unlike the brother, this can open and close’
Another wine without forceful aromatics but what aromatics! So beautifully complex and floral elegance – a great nose. Mouth-filling but without density – so complex, mineral, insinuating with flavour. Broad in the finish a great 2021!
Old vines, 2/3 from 1912. Not long finished the malo – as late as the Grasses Têtes
A bit more colour. A narrower nose but of depth and very slowly offering some. Here is a wine of more volume and concentration, framed with a faint tannin and a brilliant finish – still not in the best shape for tasting today but with fabulous base material. Given my experience with this wine – I expect it to be great.
In 2016 Bruno recovered the rest of the family parcel, so here is all the Bonnes-Mares of Morey – well almost – Bruno still sends 2 barrels to Fougeray de Beauclair each year. They vinify the soil colours separately in 17 and thought ‘the white part missed a little structure – of course, the red-soiled part more full-bodied and complete.’
Faintly reduced, rather direct – very slowly lifting a finer, attractive, top layer of fruit aroma. Muscular, structural – but nothing too scary. This melts with style over the palate – mineral but perfume infused. Like the Bèze a wine that begs more elevage but if you have the chance to buy, you should!
The whites:
2021 Bourgogne Aligoté
This year in barrel – they are not the only ones in 2021 – just 2 barrels produced
Golden fruit but with energy and a clear invitation. Hmm, this has good concentration, a faint metallic accent and lots of tasty depth. Frank and tasty wine!
2021 Marsannay Langeroies Blanc
More concentrated but reluctant to open out. Yet the shape and texture over the palate are good. Direct, finishing with a modest minerality too. This is quite good and will only get better.
Above Bonnes-Mares.
A narrower, direct and mineral nose. Vibrant, mineral, it needs a bit more time in elevage but the finish is gorgeous – really something. If the rest of the wine catches up this will be a great white.
We’re not the owners but since ’93 this has been our baby – we do everything here. Only 2 barrels this year.
Not fully open but here is an electric mix of minerals and a ripe yellow citrus. Broad, beautifully mobile energy. Great finishing again – that’s a super thing. Like the MSD give this a bit of time but here’s another wine with a completely great finish!