Domaine Jean FOURNIER (Marsannay-la-Côte) -- 2022 tasted from bottle and cask sample and some older wines tasted from bottle

Marsannay, the appellation at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits, just north of Fixin, has a peculiar history. It was planted primarily in Gamay during much of the 19th century. In 1919, Joseph Clair-Daü had some Pinot Noir that he vinified as rosé and sold to a top restaurant in Dijon. When the appellation contrôlée system later came into being, Marsannay was allowed only rosé; any white or red could only be sold as Bourgogne. In 1987, the appellation was finally created for red and white wines, but as the terroir was not well-known to the outside world, there was no big rush for the wines. 

Over the years, talented producers, located both in and outside Marsannay have produced wines of increasingly fine quality, and with the steep rise to unprecedented price levels of Burgundy from the better-known villages, smart Burgundy buyers have been quick to move to less well-known appellations such as Marsannay for quality wines at good prices. 

The appellation has expanded over the years, and it is expected that in the near future, premier cru status will be granted for a number of vineyards.

Domaine Jean Fournier is one of the leading estates in the appellation. Jean’s son Laurent joined the estate in 2001 and continues to turn out excellent wines.

Laurent said that for the 2022 vintage, he began harvesting on 31 August or 1 September and he had 14 days of harvest. 

The estate has been certified organic since 2008, and the soils are worked with horses. Some of the vineyards are planted in density of 13,000 to 20,000 vines per hectare (10,000 is standard in Burgundy). There is never any acidification here. 

A total of 25 different wines are produced, so the selection I saw was not complete.

We start with the red wines:

2022 Bourgogne  Côte d’Or

Lots of charm in this wine with a silk texture, depth, and length. Some young vine Marsannay is included here and a little bit of whole clusters. This was the sole red 2022 in bottle when I visited. 89/A

2022 Marsannay  cuvée Saint-Urbain

The cuvée Saint-Urbain is the base Marsannay wine in all three colors at the estate. This red shows more density than the Bourgogne, but is less open for the moment. The wine is notable for its length and silkiness. A little more whole cluster here than in the Bourgogne.  (86-89)

2022 Marsannay   Le Chapître

Le Chapître historically is one of the best-known vineyards at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits. Until recently, it was just allowed Bourgogne status, but it now has been included in the Marsannay appellation. The soils here are sandy with lots of limestone, and this is the warmest location in the domaine. Chipped stone aromas are followed by dark fruits in the mouth with silkiness, penetration and good concentration. About 50% whole clusters here. (88-90)

The next three wines are from vineyards that are expected to be named premiers crus.

2022 Marsannay   Clos du Roy

This wine has dark fruits, purity, minerality, sensuousness, good depth and concentration, and overall finesse. It should make a very good bottle. It is a warm spot with limestone and some clay and gets picked early. 600-liter barrels here, 25% new. (89-92)

2022 Marsannay   Les Longeroies

Longeroies is a complicated vineyard with different sectors having different climate and soils. This wine includes fruit from all sectors. The nose is perfumed. The mouth shows more structure and tannin than the preceding wines with dark fruits and some power here. (90-92)

2022 Marsannay    Es Chezots

This is a cooler vineyard, the effect of the wind coming through three notches in the hills. This wine is rounder and plumper with dark fruits and a touch of animality and minerality. It displays excellent depth and penetration. It is a wine to lay down for some time. (91-93)

“Vieilles vignes” on the following bottlings means that minimum age of the vines is 60 years.

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses   1er Cru   Les Basses Verglesses  vieilles vignes

Some black olives in the nose. The mouth is round with dark fruit, showing less Pinot character than the previous wines, but it is enjoyable. 14.3º alcohol here. (88-90)

2022 Côte de Nuits-Villages   Croix Violette   vielles vignes

This wine is dark and dense, but not as much precision here as with the previous wines, and a bit of plumminess (alcohol is 13º natural). A friend in the trade who knows this wine says it ages well — see below for some older bottles that I tasted — so I may be underestimating it here. Fournier purchased the vineyard in 2007; the vines date to the 1950s and 1980s. (86-88)

2022 Marsannay   Trois Terres  vieilles vignes

This wine is an old vine selection from Longeroies, Clos du Roy, and Es Chezots. It is quite dense with an old vine quality to its dark fruit. It is most interesting, but in need of a good amount of time to fully develop. (89-92)

Next, a selection of older red wines in bottle:

2021 Marsannay   Les Longeroies

This is classic in style with dark fruits, finesse, silkiness, and freshness. The wine will improve with cellaring but is drinking well, already. 91/A

2020 Marsannay    Clos du Roy

The 2020 is of a very different style from the 2021, richer, dark, very fruity with plenty of plums. Some will like it more than I, but as is often the case with this vintage, I find the wine more about international Pinot Noir than Burgundy. 87/B

2019 Marsannay   Es Chezots

This wine is not overly alcoholic (13.80º), and it has finesse, but is plummy, and so due to the vintage, is another wine more like New World Pinot Noir than Burgundy, at least at this stage. 88(+)/B

2017 Côtes de Nuits-Villages   Croix Violette

Now we’re back to a vintage that’s more Burgundian. The wine has freshness, purity, and precision to its dark fruits. A touch of licorice here, too. 91/A

2014 Côtes de Nuits-Villages   Croix Violette

Another Burgundian vintage. This wine has brilliant minerality, depth, penetration, and richness. It still is rather closed, but there is great potential here.  91/A

Continuing on now to the white wines:

If you are a lover of Aligoté, as I am, Fournier is a producer to be on the watch for.

2022 Bourgogne-Aligoté  cuvée Saint-Urbain

The base level Aligoté is nevertheless of outstanding quality. The nose and mouth are crisp and pure and the wine is energetic and saline. 90/A

2022 Bourgogne-Aligoté   Champ Forey

This wine is pure, crisp and features a bit of succulence to go along with its penetrating minerality. (89-91)

2022 Bourgogne-Aligoté   Les Boutières

From vines planted in the 1920s in Savigny-les-Beaune, this is simply gorgeous Aligoté. It is of a different character from the two previous wines, much less monochromatic, more complexity here, even layering, and a little more richness. (91-93)

2022 Marsannay   cuvée Saint-Urbain

This wine has an unusual makeup of 70% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Beurot (a local name for Pinot Gris), 10% Chardonnay rosé (a mutation of Chardonnay), and 10% other grape types. The wine shows minerality and finesse in the nose. The mouth is austere with brilliant acidity and excellent penetration. (89-92)

2022 Marsannay   Clos du Roy

This is wine is from a single parcel where vines (all Chardonnay) are planted at 20,000 vines per hectare. It shows finesse and precision in the nose. The mouth shows precision, intensity, and minerality. I may be underestimating it a little here.  (87-89)

2022 Marsannay  Les Longeroies

This wine shows richness with minerality. It is incisive and promising. The vines here (all Chardonnay) are planted at 12,000 to 20,000 vines per hectare. (89-91)