Winemaker Notes
Cyril’s father, Charles, was a visionary in the Burgundy region, as he’d already selected and vinified the best parcels in the 1970s, before Marsannay was even an appellation. He and his wife, Marie-Françoise, an oenologist, began their domaine in Marsannay-la-Cote, in 1972.
Cyril is the fifth generation to join the family business. He continues his parents’ commitment to producing fine red, white and rosé Marsannays, primarily from single vineyards, that are well-structured and wonderfully mineral.
Perched up in the northernmost position in the Côte de Nuits, Marsannay is the only appellation village to produce classified wines of all three colors: red, white— and rosé. The official Rosé de Marsannay earned its high reputation in the early 1900s.
Its reds, made of Pinot Noir, burst with red and black fruit and are consistently long on the palate. Chardonnays from Marsannay are charming, floral and full of citrus fruit and mineral. Top Marsannay vineyards include Clos du Roy and Les Longeroies.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.