Marsannay/ Fixin

These two northern most villages of the Cote d’Or are on what used to be referred to as the Côte Dijonnaise, though not in reference to a sandwich spread. Rather, the old name refers to the proximity to Burgundy's capital city. And if, as you’re driving through its shopping centers and subdivisions, Marsannay feels a bit like a Djion suburb, it’s because it is. Sprawl from Dijon has overtaken Marsannay and its neighbors. Over the decades vineyard land has been lost to development, never to return. Don’t fret, though, as there’s still plenty of land to produce wines that in recent times few sommeliers have actively sought.

Marsannay didn’t even receive appellation status until 1987 and possesses no Premier Crus, let alone Grand Crus. While its subsoils are classic Burgundian clay-limestone, its topsoils - sometimes quite deep - are a mess of washout from the river Ouche, which flows into Dijon. This washout includes silts, gravels, and clays. Moreover, the cold air in this region has historically kept Marsannay from developing optimal ripeness. Those are the knocks. But the upside is that in warmer vintages, Marsannay can perform quite well. And winegrowing today is better than ever, as is vinification, and good producers are able to suss out sometimes rustic, but juicier, richer, and spicier wines than ever before.

Marsannay can be counted upon for floral red wines that remind the drinker of strawberries and cherries, occasionally inching toward black fruits. They’re not often substantial, but can be quite pithy and satisfying. Marsannay’s twentieth-century reputation, however, was made on Pinot Noir rosé, which is often excellent. The challenge is that it’s Burgundy, so the cost is always much greater than rosé from a sunny warm place that produces it in abundance with ease.

If Marsannay is a good alternative to higher-priced Burgundy, Fixin can also provide a modest fix. And driving through it, too, is a swim through Dijonnaise. However, the vineyards, far off the road, have more in common with Gevrey-Chambertin to the south than with Marsannay to the north. Fixin wines have a reputation for being hard and somewhat wild, savory without a guarantee of redeeming fruit. The wines are not as deep in body as top crus - more lean and wiry, yet still have firm tannins. In short, they tend to lack the instant pleasure that much of the rest of Burgundy delivers, perhaps because of a preponderance of weathered stone without enough clay or marl to provide as much roundness and flesh. However, Fixin does have Premier Cru-rated vineyards that can produce wines of distinction and complexity. Furthermore, these vineyards produce wines with enough stuffing to age. With time, they can soften into gentle and beguiling bargains.

Tasting Notes

Marsannay reds tend to be medium-bodied, expressive of red berry fruits like strawberry, cherry, and redcurrant, with accompanying floral and stony notes. They can be delightful, though rarely impressively deep or complex; juicy and satisfying, but rarely profound. Fixin wines are typically crunchier. More lean and bony, they have less flesh, leaving the tannin and acid to dominate the wine. Marsannay has a little more weight, flesh, and density.

TOP PRODUCERS

Sylvan Pataille (Marsannay)

Pataille is considered quite a superstar winemaker. He also consults for many other properties. He’s a great taster - geologist Francoise Vannier told us how he recognized the presence of clay in a wine’s subsoils that she didn’t think existed, until eight years later a soil pit she dug confirmed his observation. A former lab oenologist, he started his domaine from nothing in 1999 and has built it up into a source of lovely, vibrant wines. His Bourgogne Rouge is one of the best in Burgundy

Bruno clair (marsannay)

The true king of Marsannay, this historic domaine’s Marsannay wines are rarely talked about because of the magnificence of the rest of its Cote d’Or holdings. But here, as in every wine from the domaine, the winegrowing is meticulous and the winemaking solid, resulting in well-crafted, tasteful Marsannay

domaine berthaut (fixin)

Young Amélie Berthaut has taken the reins at her family’s domaine. It was already in good hands with her father, but it will be interesting to see waht her touch brings to the generally bony, austere wines of Fixin. Early results show vibrant, fresh wines that channel Fixin’s sometimes-unruly nature into wines of great energy and perfume.

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