Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Les Cazetiers" AOC 2023

A Premier Cru bearing the signature of the house of Bruno Clair: clear, juicy fruit, a fine austerity and a taut, saline line. Slender in structure yet deep, the tannin silky, the mineral pull long. Little show, much provenance.

Les Cazetiers is a Premier Cru climat in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin. Domaine Bruno Clair is based in Marsannay-la-Côte and farms 27 hectares across eight villages of the Côte d'Or, yielding 32 appellations. The estate's heritage traces back to the 1919 marriage of Joseph Clair and Marguerite Daü, who combined their vineyards in Marsannay; in 1986 Bruno Clair founded his own estate with seven hectares. Cover crops and the renunciation of herbicides have long been standard practice there.

Pure Pinot Noir. In the cellar, the guiding principle is as much as necessary, as little as possible: spontaneous fermentation, measured extraction and, for the red wines, 20 to 50 percent whole clusters in the fermentation vat. This is followed by 18 to 20 months in barrel, with the share of new oak ranging between 20 and 50 percent depending on the wine. Clarification is left to time: the wine rests long enough to be bottled without cosmetic intervention.

Dry and taut, 13.0% ABV. The fruit stays juicy and clear, dark cherry and red berries ahead of fine spice, the tannin silky, the finish saline-mineral and long.

Since 2010 Edouard has been working alongside as the sixth generation, joined in 2018 by Margaux and Arthur. They bring careful innovation: higher shares of whole clusters, less sulphur. The house's presence remains understated, demand is high, and allocations are scarce. A wine for the table, one that gains complexity with age.