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| | "That the full story of the Domaine is not widely known must be down to the modest nature of Bruno Clair and his native village of Marsannay, but wine lovers with a sense of Burgundian history will see the Domaine for what it is: one of the region’s truly top-rank estates.
Just as it is likely only a matter of time before the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine) approves the first Premier Cru designations for Marsannay, it is equally likely that thirsty Burgundy lovers will increasingly discover the delightful wines of this exceptional Domaine …. |
| | | | | After his father [Joseph Clair] died in 1971, Bernard began to manage Domaine Clair-Daü, which at its peak totalled 38ha. Unfortunately, Bernard and his siblings could not agree on the direction of the estate. His son Bruno left to start his own Domaine in 1978 with some vines in Marsannay, a few sharecropping agreements, and some sites high on the slope that had remained unplanted after phylloxera, including nearly a hectare of Morey-St-Denis En la Rue de Vergy above the Clos de Tart, the vines split between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Domaine Clair-Daü was broken up in 1985, and the siblings each went their separate ways. Bernard’s sister Noëlle sold her share (including the rental agreement of her aunt’s vines) to Louis Jadot in 1985; his other sister Monique added her share to those of her husband André’s estate, and Bruno managed the balance of the vines, including most of the vines belonging to Bernard and his wife.
By 1986, Bruno was at the head of a Domaine of 17ha, although Bernard had rented his Bonnes-Mares to Fougeray de Beauclair out of loyalty, since the grandfather of Jean-Louis Fougeray had worked closely with Joseph Clair. Bruno continued to expand his Domaine over the ensuing decades with purchases in Chambolle-Musigny, a plot of Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne in 1993 and further vines Pernand. He also purchased vines in Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite-Chapelle, and in 2019 he bought a parcel of Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes. |
| | Bruno has now taken back the leases to Bernard’s Bonnes-Mares and the vines that had been rented to Jadot in 1985, and the Domaine today totals nearly 27ha spread over eight villages and produces wine in 32 different appellations.
Bruno is now joined by his sons Edouard and Arthur. Edouard worked initially alongside long-time cellarmaster Philippe Brun (now retired), and he is now assisted by his younger brother Arthur under Bruno’s watchful gaze. The pair are helping to oversee the conversion to organic viticulture – the Domaine has not used herbicides since the 1990s. The vines have been tilled manually, though increasingly they are ploughed less often and cover crops are used instead to encourage the microbial life of the soil. The grapes are often picked on the early side, Bonnes-Mares first and the Clos de Bèze last. There is a pre-fermentation cold soak that can last a week, and a fermentation that begins with punching down and finishes with the wine being gently pumped over the cap. Since 2015, they have begun to use whole clusters in the fermentation, gradually increasing the percentage to 30%, sometimes more. After pressing, the wine is generally aged for 18-20 months in cask (up to half new for the reds), with most of the barrels coming from François Frères, Rousseau, and Seguin Moreau. Whites are fermented in cask (up to 20% new) or large oak uprights. Little sulphur is used (none before bottling for the whites). The rosé is still a particular specialty of the Domaine. Half of the grapes destined for the rosé are pressed directly, while the balance does a cold soak for several days before pressing and fermentation and maturation in large and small casks for 10-12 months.
Domaine Bruno Clair must be judged as one of Burgundy’s top Domaines. The quality and depth of the range are even more impressive when one considers the quiet, self-assured talent in the cellar, deep knowledge of the terroir, and the hard work it has taken to re-establish the heritage of Domaine Clair-Daü and to transmit it successfully to the next very able generation, whom we should all follow attentively."
Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine |
| | | ▪ "From vines situated exclusively on the slopes. Touches of citrus and mineral reduction are present on the white orchard fruit scents. There is more salinity still on the citrusy middle weight flavors that terminate in a noticeably drier finish that is just a bit firmer as well." Allen Meadows, Burghound
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| ▪ "A hillside style of Marsannay which has enabled this wine to come across as fresher than the regular bottling. Slightly paler lime tinted colour, with a fresher, racier nose. A little dusting of coconut, much fresher on the palate and stretches out to a longer finish." Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
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| | | | ▪ "Traditionally, this is the biggest of the Marsannay wines from Clair, coming from a 2ha parcel on the slopes above the village, in heavier clay soils, planted at the beginning of 1969. Fermented with 30% whole clusters on native yeasts, with a gentle extraction, the result is a wine with pleasantly forward fruit that is slightly marked by the wood at this stage, but with time this should integrate well."
Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine
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| | | | ▪ "The Clair holding in La Dominode is one of the jewels of the estate. The 1.71ha was planted in 1902 and were purchased by Bruno’s grandfather. The parcel lies on east and north-facing slopes, an ideal exposition in warm years such as 2019, and this is a wine of great concentration, with profuse aromas of ripe blackberry and cassis that continue to open up on the palate, as it reveals impressive tannic charge and exquisite length." Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine
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| | | | ▪ "From a 1-hectare parcel just south of the Esmonin holding, these mature, low-yielding vines have resulted in a wine of monumental concentration. Paradoxically, the wine is approachable even on the initial attack, with a lovely red and black berry fruit expression that blossoms into a wine of impressive power and tannin on the palate. The structure carries this to a solid, elegant finish and suggests a bright future for ageing." Charles Curtis MW, Decanter Magazine
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| | | | "'[In 2019,] we started the picking on 9 September,’ Clair told me. ‘That was the Bonnes Mares because it was already very ripe. But the serious picking really began on 15 September. We finished on 24 and 25 September. The yields were half for the whites because of the dryness, for the reds it was 15-30% less than last year. Vines with deep roots that could penetrate the fissures performed best and did not show any stress. But overall, I am very pleased with the regularity of crop across the reds irrespective of vine age.’ It was a wise decision to pick that Bonnes-Mares early because it may well turn out to be their star performer, closely followed by the Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze .... Despite millerandage in the vineyard, the Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers displays superb mineralité. Though their 2019 Clos du Fonteny is very promising, the 2018 seemed out of sorts and I will endeavour to re-examine this. Overall, it was a superb set of 2019s from Bruno Clair that will age with style." Neal Martin, Vinous |
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