Bruno Clair
# Bruno Clair
Region of Production: Côte d’Or
Winery Location: Marsannay-la-Côte
Year Established: 1978
Summary: In 1910, Bruno Clair’s grandfather Joseph Clair established one of the great domaines of the 20th century, Domaine Clair-Daü. Joseph produced the first Marsannay Rosé, based on a need for a wine he could bring to market more quickly in the difficult economic times of the early 20th century. Domaine Clair-Daü was famous for its 38 hectares of land in Burgundy’s top grand and premiers crus, and for its acrimonious dissolution when family members could not agree on how to manage the domaine. As a result, the family divided the domaine. Fed up with family infighting, Bruno’s father Bernard left in 1980, two years after Bruno started out on his own. In 1986, Bernard and Bruno created a company to manage their share of what was left of the Clair-Daü inheritance, and these holdings became Domaine Bruno Clair. All vineyards are farmed without herbicides or fertilizers and vines are plowed regularly. Bruno strives to maintain older average vine age in his vineyards and replants vine-by-vine rather than tearing out entire blocks of old vines.
Vineyard Holdings: 22.71 ha total
- Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru: 0.98 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1912 and 1973
- Bonnes Mares Grand Cru: 0.41 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1945 and 1978
- Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: 0.34 ha Chardonnay, planted in 1976
- Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques Premier Cru: 1.0 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1957 and 1972
- Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers Premier Cru: 0.87 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1958 and 1973
- Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny Premier Cru (monopole): 0.68 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1972 and 1987
- Gevrey-Chambertin La Petite Chapelle Premier Cru: 0.51 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1960
- Savigny-les-Beaune Dominode Premier Cru: 1.71 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1902 and 1983
- Morey-Saint-Denis En la Rue de Vergy: 0.51 ha Chardonnay, 0.65 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1980
Average Total Production:Unknown
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages:
- Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
- Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
- Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: Inaugural vintage 1993
- Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques Premier Cru
- Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers Premier Cru
- Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny Premier Cru (monopole)
- Gevrey-Chambertin La Petite Chapelle Premier Cru
- Savigny-les-Beaune Dominode Premier Cru
- Morey-Saint-Denis En la Rue de Vergy: White and red
- Marsannay: White, rosé, and red
Brief Description of Style & Vinification Techniques: The Bruno Clair wines are firm and structured Burgundies. The white grapes are whole-cluster pressed. The Marsannay Blanc is fermented one-third in barrel and two-thirds in oak casks, the Morey-Saint-Denis is fermented partly in foudreand partly in new barriques, and the Corton-Charlemagne is fermented in used barriques. The white wines are stirred until the start of malolactic fermentation, at which point bâtonnage stops. The Marsannay Rosé is made with one-third direct-pressed Pinot Noir, and two-thirds Pinot Noir that macerates on the skins for 24-72 hours. After maceration, the two lots are blended and fermented and aged in stainless steel. Bottling which takes place before the following harvest. The red grapes are 90% de-stemmed prior to fermentation with no yeasts added. Punchdowns occur two to four times per day and the wine spends up to 18 days on the skins. The red Marsannay wines age in used casks while the top wines age in 20-50% new oak for 15-18 months. Wines are filtered but not fined prior to bottling.
Importer Website:Becky Wasserman & Co.
Producer Website:Domaine Bruno Clair