Domaine Bruno Clair Marsannay Rose 2015

Anyone who’s sat through an introductory wine course will be able to tell you that if it’s from Burgundy its either Chardonnay for whites, or Pinot Noir for reds but there are the odd exceptions including Marsannay Rosé.

The only village level wine in Burgundy allowed to produce a rosé, Marsannay producers are permitted to use both Pinot Noir and Gamay with Bruno Clair using 100% Pinot Noir in this case. Through the ‘saigneé’ or ‘bleed’ method the grapes are left on their skins for around 48 hours to give just a hint of colour, but don’t dare call them blush!

Jancis Robinson described the 2009 as: “In Pinot Noir’s homeland of Burgundy, compelling rosés are thin on the ground, and usually rather thin on the palate too – but Bruno Clair’s pink Marsannay is a perennial exception and Dom Bruno Clair 2009 Marsannay manages to be a fruity, dry and well-preserved exception – perhaps because of the intensity of the 2009 vintage in Burgundy. Very fruity Pinot nose. Nicely dry on the end with really Burgundian fruit in the middle. Very correct and very different from the great mass of rosés.”