Tasted in Marsannay with Philippe Huguenot, 13 November 2023.

Domaine Huguenot
5 Rue des Carrières
21160 Marsannay La Côte
Tel: +33 3 80 52 11 56
www.domainehuguenot.com
Domaine Instagram
More reports for Domaine Huguenot

Philippe on 2023:
“It’s a good volume – not quite full but nearly. So it was a bit of a surprise when you see how much rain we had – or didn’t have – it was much less in Marsannay than Vosne, for instance.”

Philippe on 2022:
“We were about 20% down in volume – it wasn’t a question of how many bunches of grapes, it was a question of how much juice there was – we had it quite hot and dry. We had the rain storm in Gevrey but it was a lot drier in Marsannay – maybe ‘only’ 30-40mm of rain – but it helped a lot. We can compare 2023 with 2022 in terms of the average rainfall… For the moment it’s the whites that are bottled, done just before the 2023 harvest, but none of the reds are done yet. I was worried at the start that the wines were a bit austere but no, the tannins came good and they opened out very well – perhaps they are like 2020 with a bit more drinkability – they have rounder tannins.”

The wines…

Tasty reds and even a couple of great ‘northern whites.’ Always good quality at this domaine.

2022 Marsannay Héritage
The biggest cuvée of the domaine – about 4 hectares worth with multiple soil types. An assembly of multiple parcels mainly in the middle of Marsannay-La-Côte – ‘just one in the south the rest all central – About 40-45-year-old vines.’
Lots of depth and some perfume to this darker red fruit. Hmm, that’s lovely as it wraps around the tongue – just a mm or two of cushion, deliciously flavoured and properly structured with nothing hard – just a nose short of being an excellent villages today.

2022 Marsannay La Montagne
Some of the most northerly vines of the domaine. White oolite with a bit more friable soil. ‘A cuvée that evolves every year – I replanted a small part – there are normally 5 parts to the cuvée though one was replanted after the frost of 2016.
Not so wide but with more comfort and vibrations of complexity – it’s a fine invitation. This is a bit larger and more structural in the mouth – but at its base, still fluid and mobile with cool fruit. Clean, energetic, there’s boisterous energy in this finish – and I love it! Give it 2 years to calm and drink as long as you like after – 10-15 years, no problem!

2022 Marsannay Les Champs Perdrix
Followed by some of the most southerly vines of the domaine – almost in Fixin. Another type of soil – Premeaux/Comblanchien limestone. ‘It’s a more airy style of wine from here.’
A nose more like the first wine – it needs some time. Hmm – more supple, plenty of concentration, flavour that melts over the palate. Then a growing weight of flavour – almost juicy finishing with a good vibration to the finishing flavour – very good – even a little floral perfume in this finish!

2022 Marsannay Charmes au Pretre
Vines here of up to 80 years old. Same type of soil/limestone, some Comblanchien, but mid-slope with a bit more marne so less altitude than the last.
A smaller but finer nose – a pretty width of red fruit here. More direct/incisive then a panoramic width to finish – fine fruit, accented with a little salinity – long too – that’s lovely and even slightly chalky at the end…

2022 Fixin Terre Brune
Mainly to the north of the village of Fixin – the soil here much more consistent than the domaine’s Marsannays that tend to be more on the hillsides. ‘The vines here don’t suffer that much in the heat and dry…’
Not hyper-wide but here is a very inviting perfume. Good volume in the mouth – growing quite velvet in style as the tannins make their presence known – but never hard – this is a wine with some comfort and fine generosity of flavour – it’s completely delicious – give it 2 years before starting to drink. Lovely!

2022 Côte de Nuits Villages La Créole
Just south of the Fixin border in Brochon – maybe one day it might be classed as Fixin, there is a project – there’s about 40 hectares in this band of fruit – that would be a big volume boost for ‘tiny’ Fixin.
A silky width of darker fruit aroma. Darker fruit and wide in the mouth too – the texture is quite sophisticated – only as you wait does the well of tannin become visible – give this 2-3 years and enjoy – it’s a simply excellent CDNV!!

2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Crais
Next to Justice
Extra depth of aroma – a faint suggestion of reduction supporting that – but pretty red fruit with an accent of cherry-stone too. Hmm, a dark element here – the barrel I think but this is fine in the mouth – velour with some salinity and plenty of complexity. I think this a very fine, slightly generous – completely delicious wine!

2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Mainly from Les/En Champs – under 1er Champeaux – plenty of clay here.
A larger, broader nose – red fruit and a little structure. Mouth-filling – more fluid in style – lots of intensity and it’s quite direct and long in the finish – that impresses me a lot – wait 2-3 years again – another super wine.

2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Fontenay
‘Deep soil here – we once started a study but the deeper we went we still found no rock!’
Hmm – a little floral accent to a good width of aroma. Extra here – you see it directly – more depth of flavour despite this being a direct wine – not a fat or generous one. Finishing impressively – and so persistent! Another to be patient with – 3-4 years, perhaps – it could be excellent!

2022 Charmes-Chambertin
A parcel of Charmes on the northern edge of the Charmes climat, close to Griotte. Not much soil here.
A calm breadth of aroma – not very expressive today – but no negatives either! Hmm, this has another level of depth after the Fontenay and even a tiny cushion to the flavour – the finish, more stony lasts very well – proper grand cru!

Les Whites:

2022 Marsannay Aux Genelières
Maybe a future 1er cru. Not much soil and plenty of Comblanchien limestone – ‘When I bought it, it was planted with pinot, not in good shape. This chardonnay is now 5-years-old.’
A narrower, more shy nose but precise and quite deep. Hmm – broader in the mouth, supple a bit more generosity but there’s complexity and a faint structural rigour here too. Today I’d much rather drink the previous wine – but there’s a lot of interest here too – to follow as these vines age.