Domaine Bruno Clair: Our Man in Marsannay

Domaine Bruno Clair today concludes its grape harvest, one of the earliest in living memory. Like the rest of Europe, Burgundy has sweltered in the hot and dry summer of 2018.

Reports suggest that less than a millimetre of rain has fallen since early June. Hot weather has really been the only concern though, coming soon after a series of complicated vintages marked by frost and hailstorms which posed far greater challenges for Burgundy’s vignerons. Nevertheless, thirty-three degrees centigrade in mid-September poses problems and the need to keep the freshly picked grapes as cool as possible is a concern. In Bruno Clair’s words though, “better too hot than wet.”

Harvest under way in Chambolle Musigny

The good news is that the grapes coming in from the vineyards are ripe, clean and healthy. In the past week exclamations of “belle qualite!” have been a regular occurrence and it is smiles all round as early must weights point to a bountiful crop. Indeed, Clos St Jacques and Clos de Beze are pushing all-time records, coming in on average at around 40HL/HA, a shade under the maximum permitted yield. Over-ripeness is a problem only in select parcels, generally in the lower lying and village parcels around Gevrey and Marsannay, and those on the sorting table need only select out the dry grapes and those with uneven ripeness. Not a rotten berry in sight. The grapes destined to become Grand Crus are of beautiful quality; healthy and homogenous with loose bunches and plenty of juice, reminiscent of black marbles bouncing along the sorting table. Analyses suggest low levels of malic acid, indicating that malolactic fermentations will pass quickly and early this year. Inevitably, potential alcohol levels are front of mind, but happily the must densities at the moment point toward moderate levels, nothing excessive. Clos St Jacques for example is heading toward 13.6%, perfectly normal, and the grapes from this majestic vineyard suggest that it hardly noticed the heat! Both grapes and stems are bright and healthy with no raisining and almost no need to sort at the winery. Consequently, a higher proportion of whole bunches is being included this year.

The mighty Clos St Jacques, the Bruno Clair holding amounts to 1HA in a contigious strip on the right side of the road.

Bonnes Mares is the largest of the Clair Grand Cru holdings, augmented by an additional hectare of vines that came back into the domaine’s possession in 2016, bringing their total potential volume to around 24 barriques in a generous vintage like 2018. The holding is split in to various parcels primarily situated in a narrow strip on the Morey St Denis side of the vineyard, near-enough abutting Clos de Tart. In 2018 the young, terraced plot at the upper end of the slope was the first vineyard picked, on the 27th August! The rest followed last week and after two punch-downs per day and regular pump-overs it was pressed on 11th September. Initial tastings of the free run juice and first press wine show beautiful dark fruit and radiant colours.

Bonnes Mares is transferred by hand into the press. Hard work!

Gevrey Clos de Fonteny is habitually the first of the Gevrey crus to be harvested, and it was no different this year. Fonteny itself, located higher up the slope is effectively a continuation of Ruchottes Chambertin just below, arriving in sequence from north to south from Cazetiers, Clos St Jacques, Lavaux St Jacques and then Ruchottes Chambertin. Propitious terroir for sure, the Clos Fonteny is in fact a monopole of the Domaine and being a small, walled clos at the top of Fonteny facing full south with a high proportion of white clay in the soil, it is always imbued with lots of power and fruit.

Morey St Denis En la Rue du Vergy has been pressed and is currently in tank. A remarkable vineyard, Rue du Vergy is very steep and almost pure white rock at the very top of the slope, lending the wines a precision and focus not often associated with the wines from this village. Alongside Pinot, it was a brave decision to plant Chardonnay there, and Bruno was the first to do so. Being at the top of the slope, the forest behind the vineyard forms a cooling presence and casts welcome shadow over the white grapes in the late afternoon sun. Other vignerons have since followed suit and it is perhaps a little insider’s secret in the Cote de Nuits.

Marsannay wines were probably the most surprising discovery during the course of my stay. Naturally, this village is the heartbeat of the domaine, and on a day-to-day basis more bottles of Marsannay are opened and enjoyed at the domaine than any other appellation. It is easy to suppose that Marsannay might be somewhat of an afterthought given the prestige around the Clair premier and grand cru holdings. Not so, in fact the single vineyard Marsannays are treated with the same care and attention as any other wine in the range. Longeroies, arguably the most impressive of the Marsannay vineyards, counts some of the domaine’s very oldest vines, up to 100 years old, and is often picked later in order to capture the beautiful silky fruit and finesse that this vineyard offers. The grapes this year have high sugar levels and very ripe skins and each parcel is sorted separately before blending to create a balanced expression of the vineyard. Both Vaudenelles, the highest and prettiest of the Marsannay wines, and Longeroies (mid-slope) are fermented in open concrete vats with approximately 30% whole bunches and finally no more than 20% new oak. Grasses Tetes on the other hand is from the lower lying vineyards in Marsannay and is generally darker and more tannic, thus requiring more time to arrive at its apogee. With that in mind, it is fermented in traditional open wooden vats, no different from the premier and grand cru wines, but with a higher proportion of whole bunch than its Marsannay siblings, up to 40% in order to keep the wine as fresh as possible.

It’s clear that things are evolving at the domaine, and for the better I would suggest. A very driven and hardworking Edouard Clair, son of Bruno, along with Philippe Brun, has been heading up the cellar and vinifications since the 2015 vintage and tweaking processes where he feels necessary. As he puts it “steady changes to evolve and improve but keeping in tune with our style. There are some cuvees I can play with more than others and I’m enjoying seeing where that goes.” Well, the 2015s were undoubtedly a bit of a step-change here, helped by the fact that the vintage itself was a beauty. Edouard concedes that “in 2015 I perhaps took things too quickly and it shocked my father and the older generation. In 2016 I dialled myself back a bit, more towards our traditional style, and you can feel that in the Bonnes Mares and Clos St Jacques in particular coming after 2015. In the end though I have had amazing feedback on the 2015s so 2017 and for sure 2018 will be more my style again!” Anyone who has tasted the 2015s from Domaine Bruno Clair will agree that they really are beautiful. He explains that 2017 was the first generous crop that he had the opportunity to work, but that it was important he didn’t give in to temptation. “There are many other producers who took a huge crop in 2017 but I was very strict. I believe that for us 2017 will prove to be an exceptional vintage. Our wines have the fruit and soft tannins of the year with great balance, but in fact they have more material than 2015s did so I am very happy with them.” Tasting the wines at this early juncture, it’s hard not to agree with him, and with it he conveys such conviction and genuine delight in his position that, although he may rock the boat, a fresh outlook will do no harm to their reputation. The 2017s from cask are looking very smart indeed, generous but supple and medium bodied with clear differences between the terroirs. Cazetiers is the first to stick its head above the parapet and if the elevage continues as it is then it will prove to be a real stunner of a wine, with dazzling bright fruit and spices, much to the dismay of Philippe Brun who, with tongue-in-cheek, laughs and says “God, all you kids look for is fruit!” Of course he is right, and Clos St Jacques should never be overlooked! Time will tell as to the eventual quality of all of these wines. Bonnes Mares 2017 is a return to the 2015-style; gentle, lots of fruit and depth supported by very fine elegant tannins. If 2016 was a more Morey-inspired Bonnes Mares then 2017 finds a happy mid-way between Morey and Chambolle Musigny.

So, what is new this year for the 2018 harvest? “I like a little bit more whole bunch in my wines. It adds a bit of freshness to the wines and softens the extractions.” For context, in a vintage like 2018, where the grapes have naturally lower levels of acidity and higher levels of sugar, grapes that are destemmed can ferment very quickly and the ferments become too warm. If this is not monitored carefully it can extract harsher tannins, convert more sugar into alcohol and create more astringency in the wines. This is easily managed if the ferments are carried out in temperature controlled tanks however the cuverie here is functional and technology is kept to a minimum. Thus, when ferments and temperatures increase too rapidly, a lengthy and laborious process of pumping over with an intermediary cooling tank must take place in order to lower the must temperature - hardly practical for every vat. Consequently, pump-overs are regular and gentle, again striking a balance that oxygenates the musts without excessively energising the natural yeasts and losing control of the ferment. Sulphur levels are coming down a little wherever possible, again in an effort to avoid astringency and make the wines a bit more charming in youth. Edouard has taken the opportunity to experiment with his new baby, a small parcel in Marsannay called Charmes au Pretres – a beautiful, warm site that yields lots of sweet strawberry and cherry fruit. He will ferment the 2018 without sulphur and see how it turns out. Another first this year is the separation of Vosne Petit Monts from Champs Perdrix. It has been fermented separately in one demi-muids and time will tell as to what they decide to do with it. Punch downs are being adapted to suit each cuvee which, along with a change in the whole bunch regime, is a point of contention. In the case of the Clos St Jacques for example, punch downs have so far been avoided entirely and the must kept as cool as possible with the inclusion of 35% whole bunches to make for a very slow fermentation.

When it comes to pressing, more than ever, a higher percentage of pips and skins are left behind; another example of the team sacrificing volume for quality.

Just one demi-muids of Petit Monts has been filled and kept separately for now, picked on 8th September

As an outsider, the team dynamic at the domaine feels strong and the cuverie is a hardworking place to be. The day starts at 6.45am and as I write, the day ends with the second round of pigeages at 11pm (or later). Bruno Clair is as he always is; happiest in the vineyards, leading the pickers and observing the cellar with a watchful eye. He is delighted to have acquired a new parcel in the great Chambolle Charmes vineyard which will be bottled for the first time in vintage 2019. Along with the new parcel of Bonnes Mares he has plenty on his hands when it comes to rejuvenating and improving the state of the vineyards. Philippe Brun remains the oracle in the cellar, deferred to for advice and ever-present.

However vintage 2018 ultimately turns out, and it is far too early to tell, Domaine Bruno Clair is now a fully-fledged multi-generational effort and this great domaine is far from done. Justerini & Brooks has believed in these wines from the beginning and we look forward to following their developments in the years to come. A big thank you to Bruno, Isabelle, Philippe, Edouard and Arthur for hosting me and putting me through my paces for the last week!