Burgundy Club: April 2025

This April Fools is all about one man, no joke. Today's release is an homage to one of Burgundy's living legends, Domaine Bruno Clair.

The Universal Delight (All Members): Bruno Clair Marsannay Rosé 2023

Let's start with the wine everyone receives. Forget any preconceived notions of pale, poolside sippers. Bruno Clair was a pioneer in proving that Marsannay, the northernmost village appellation of the Côte de Nuits, could produce profound, gastronomic rosé primarily from Pinot Noir. This isn't an afterthought bled off from red wine production (saignée); it's made intentionally via a combo of direct press blended with a lot that receives 3-4 days on the skins, resulting in a wine with structure, complexity, and surprising age-worthiness. Marsannay remains the only village allowed to put it's name on rosé in the Cote d'Or. 

The 2023 vintage was another warm one in Burgundy, often yielding generous fruit profiles. For rosé, this can translate into beautifully expressive aromatics and ripe flavors, balanced by the crucial acidity that Marsannay's limestone soils provide. Expect more than just simple fruit; look for nuance, minerality, and a texture that begs for food. Bruno Clair's rosé is a benchmark, and tasting it is understanding the potential of the entire category.

Heading South to Savigny-lès-Beaune: Terroir Focus

For our red selections, we journey south into the Côte de Beaune, specifically to Savigny-lès-Beaune. Tucked just north of the town of Beaune itself, and nestled below the western flank of the Corton hill, Savigny is a large appellation often unfairly overlooked. It's divided by the small Rhoin river (barely more than a stream), creating two distinct hillsides: one facing primarily south/southeast and the other facing east/northeast towards Corton, which is where these two wines come from. 

Historically considered perhaps a bit rustic compared to its neighbors, Savigny offers incredible value and increasingly refined wines. Its soils are varied, with limestone, clay, and gravel contributing to diverse expressions of Pinot Noir. Bruno Clair holds prime parcels here, showcasing the distinct character of individual climats. Even more recently, the village is receiving a huge publicity boost with the presence of Guilbert Gillet, currently among the most sought after producers in all of Burgundy. If anyone can find a bottle I will pay to share it!

Red Wine (Village Level): Bruno Clair Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Jarrons 2022

Our Village level members are stepping straight into Premier Cru territory with Les Jarrons. This vineyard sits on the southern side of the Rhoin river, quite close to the border with Beaune. Unusually for Burgundy premier crus the aspect is northeast, which in a warmer climate maybe isn't a bad thing. This site produces wines that are relatively generous, fleshy, and approachable in their youth compared to some other Savigny 1er Crus. See the map for the location of both Les Jarrons and La Dominode. 

The 2022 vintage, known for its sunshine and resulting ripe, concentrated fruit, should play beautifully into the hands of Les Jarrons. Expect expressive red and dark berry notes, perhaps hints of spice, underpinned by that characteristic Savigny earthiness. Bruno Clair is a master of marrying fruit purity with vineyard expression, often using a significant portion of whole clusters depending on the vintage, adding aromatic complexity and structural backbone. This should be a fantastic introduction to high-quality Savigny.

Note that producers making Les Jarrons are allowed to label the wines as La Dominode, and most do. In the case of Bruno Clair, however, he labels the younger vines as Les Jarrons and the ancient vines (see next wine) as La Dominode. 

Red Wine (1er Cru Level): Bruno Clair Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode 2022

For the 1er Cru members, we have what many consider Bruno Clair's flagship Savigny, and arguably one of the very finest sites in the entire appellation: La Dominode. Located immediately adjacent to Les Jarrons on that same slope, La Dominode is renowned for its very old vines which were planted in 1902. Happy 120th birthday, vines!

These ancient vines naturally produce small, concentrated berries, resulting in a wine of greater depth, power, and structure than Les Jarrons. While still benefiting from the warmth of the 2022 vintage (not 2023 like in the photo!), expect La Dominode to show more dark fruit character, more pronounced tannins (though surely refined in Clair's hands), and a greater sense of mineral intensity. This is a wine built for the cellar, though the ripe vintage might make it surprisingly compelling even now with a good decant. Comparing Les Jarrons and La Dominode side-by-side would be a fascinating (and delicious) exploration of Savigny terroir.

That's the lineup for this month – a true dive into the world of Bruno Clair, from the benchmark rosé of Marsannay to a pair of contrasting Premier Crus from Savigny-lès-Beaune. I have no doubt these wines will impress with their precision and sense of place. Definitely give these reds an hour of air or a decade of sleep! And yes, the photo is AI - it tried.