Marsannay 2020
A recent appellation, Marsannay in the Côte de Nuits produces fantastic red wines as well as
a very significant production of white wines.
Origin
With 27 ha of white grapes under vine and 147 ha of red, the white wines of Marsannay remain something of a curiosity. The vineyards are planted in clay-limestone soil dating back to the Middle Jurassic period. Located in the southern part of the appellation, near the village of Couchey, the vineyard’s eastern exposure along with its small limestone pebbles and numerous faults allow for the production of elegant, pure wines. The 45-year-old vines are planted at an altitude of 230 m.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: deep clay-limestone.
Orientation: East
Pruning: Guyot system
Average age of the vine: 47 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 6 September 2020.
The grapes were handpicked.
At the winery: the whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels (450L) with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 17 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. A proportion of 33% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: the wine was bentonite fined and very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in March 2022.
Number of bottles: 3,092 bottles &200 magnums.
Vintage
Balanced and concentrated
The harvests happened back-to-front! They began with the reds ripening before the whites. The harvest was very disease-free but we had to eliminate sunburnt berries, especially in the case of the Pinot Noir vines as the Chardonnays had coped better with the heat. Quality was definitely good, but relatively low juice yields has resulted in Pinot Noirs with high colour and aromatic intensity. On the other hand, the Chardonnay vines produced adequate yields with a good balance of sugar and acidity. This optimal ripeness enabled us to harvest the red grapes in certain plots according to the ‘vendange entière’ approach, where stalks are fermented along with the grapes. 'Lots of lovely colour in the reds, with very high polyphenol content, firm tannins and excellent levels of acidity. Looks set to be a year with great cellaring potential. Summer fruit coulis notes definitely have the upper hand in this year’s vintage! The whites are nicely-balanced, but it’s too early to be more precise. Watch this space…’ Grégory Patriat.
Ageing potential: between 6 to 12 years.
Awards
Bourgogne Aujourd'hui Magazine - 15,5/20
Tasting notes
The color is pale with golden reflections. On the nose, this wine reveals aromas of white flowers but also exotic fruits as well as slightly aniseed notes. The palate with lemony flavors is counterbalanced by a rather rich structure with a salivating finish.
