■生産者HPより抜粋■
The gates of the Cote de Nuits !
Marsannay, you might say, is a little appellation. Little, in effect, as regards its size ; its surface takes in only 220 hectares, yet large in its potential for quality and its diversity of soils.
Known and reputed for the finesse and delicacy of its roses, it is also beginning to find its soil’s traditions in great red wines again, which have always been the cause of its renown.
Let us stop firstly to consider the long history of this village at the gates of Dijon, the capital of Burgundy. A writen manuscript dating from 630 indicates that its vine is part of the Abbey of Beze heritage. Some centuries later, in 1158, the Saint Urbain Monastery was created, no longer in existence today. In July 1443, in Marsannay, near the tree of Charlemagne, in a place called la Charme, Pierre de Beaufremont, one of the great lords of Burgundy, held the most famous tournament of all christianity. As can be seen, Marsannay is a wine-making village with a rich history.
It is this wine-growing past, somewhat forgotten, which incited us in 1979 to acquire our first parcel of land in order to elaborate this red wine which, up until the end of the 17th century, held its own in grace and finesse with the villages of Gevrey and Nuits.
Our choice was founded on the well-situated climate of the Grasses Tetes, a jewel of a land in Marsannay. The grapes which it gives forth always amaze us with their matter and richness.
A little later, we took an option for the plot of land known as Grand Poirier, where certain stocks are more than fifty years old.
Just like our Gevrey-Chambertins, our Marsannays are most often the fruit of mixing grapes at the vat which come from the range of plots described. We believe, in effect, that all these grapes united within one vat can only mutually enrich each other with their nuances and their subtilities.
But we would not like to finish our description without speaking of our latest passion : a little plot of Chardonnay, whose first harvest in 1993, already delights our tastebuds.