Founded in 1979, the eponymous domaine of Bruno Clair has become a pillar in the appellation of Marsannay. The family’s modern-day story begins with Santenay-born Joseph Clair, who fell in love with Marsannay native Marguerite Daü during the First World War and established the renowned Clair-Daü estate. Upon Joseph’s death, family disagreements led Bruno to begin planting his own plots in Marsannay, which inevitably became the Domaine Bruno Clair.
Now spearheaded by his children, Arthur, Edouard, and Isabelle, the family’s holdings cover over 25 hectares of vines, which are situated in a number of lauded crus, including but not limited to Bonnes-Mares, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, and more. At Bruno Clair, all vines are farmed organically, though they are not certified. The majority of the family’s holdings are planted to Pinot Noir, though small amounts of Chardonnay and Aligoté are also cultivated; come harvest, all fruit is hand picked. In the cellar, a variety of cuvées and styles are made. Reds boast anywhere from 0-50% whole cluster inclusion, and all fermentations are done with native yeasts. In recent years, the use of new oak during élevage has been significantly cut down.
Now nearly half a century into its existence, Domaine Bruno Clair has become a benchmark producer for high-quality red wines from Burgundy that strike the hard-to-reach profile of delightfully drinkable in their youth, yet capable of withstanding bouts of aging in the cellar. We can’t see the future, though we imagine these lively, persistent wines will continue to go down as legendary cellar picks for decades to come.
