Profile of Château de Marsannay
Under Olivier Halley’s direction, and the winemaking mastery of Cyril Chirouze, Château de Marsannay (a large producer (by Burgundian standards) makes both red and white Burgundy of the highest order. Château de Marsannay is also renowned for producing some of the finest, most succulent rosé in France. Rosé in Burgundy, you cry! Yes, Marsannay is unique in the region as it produces all three colors of wine and is the only rosé appellation in the entire Côte-d’Or. Wine critics speak of Marsannay rosé as a rival to Provence’s supremacy; at its best, it offers a sublimely refreshing, racy, and delightfully fruity drink – pure bliss on a warm summer afternoon. But the Marsannay rosé is merely the beginning of this beautiful estate’s offering – the Halley family own vineyards in a diverse range of appellations across the region, including some prized Grand and Premier Crus. The secret of their success is largely down to Halley’s superb know-how that ensures that the estate obtains the highest possible fruit quality from a diverse range of sources in every vintage and the expert touch of Chirouze.
Château de Marsannay is rightly considered by many as one of the Côte-d’Or ‘s most picturesque wine estates. Located just to the south of Dijon, the property spans over 30 hectares and is a major focal point, both in architecture and reputation, for the Marsannay appellation. The building itself has a long history, most of which is shrouded in mystery. However, we know that the Swiss army destroyed the original Château during the reign of the French King Louis XII in the 16th century. The estate we know today was rebuilt on the original Chateau site, at the heart of the Marsannay village. Thereafter, we know relatively little about the property’s fortunes, although the local area has produced wine for over a thousand years. The Château undoubtedly passed through various families’ control, until 1990 when it was acquired by the Patriarche group, a historic négociant-éleveur (wine merchant and producer) that produces wine in all the Côte-d’Or ‘s major sub-regions.
Such a respected name brought much prestige to this major visitor destination. The Boisseaux family invested considerable sums into modernizing the Chateau, including building a state of the art winery in 1990. The family kept control of Château de Marsannay until 2012, when it was sold to Olivier Halley. Thankfully, Halley maintained the high standards, continued investment, and hard work of Patriarche, and now the wines are in great demand the world over. Remarkably considering the great diversity of vineyard sources, all the wines show a remarkable purity of fruit and perfectly balanced new oak. Unlike some of its competitors, at Château de Marsannay, new oak never takes on more than a supporting role. The reds all show good color, excellent depth, and plenty of structure, particularly the Premier and Grand Crus. The whites, and indeed the rosés, are charming, elegant, and simply delicious – a great source of superb value Burgundy today.
Wines produced
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Château de Marsannay Bourgogne (En Montre Cul)
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for a few days. After fermentation, the wine is aged in French oak for 14 months before being blended and left in tank for a further 3 months. A fresh, fruity Pinot Noir suitable for early drinking.
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Château de Marsannay Rouge (Red)
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for a few days. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 20% new French oak for 15 months. A great example of the fruit forward Marsannay style.
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Château de Marsannay Les Echezeaux
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for a few days. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 20% new French oak for 15 months.
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Château de Marsannay Fixin
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for a one week. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 25% new French oak for 15 months.
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Château de Marsannay Gevrey Chambertin Les Champeaux (Premier Cru)
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak in tank or wooden vats for a one week. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 75% new French oak for 17 months. A renowned Premier Cru vineyard in the Chambertin appellation, the wine is suitable for cellaring.
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Château de Marsannay Vosne Romanee En Orveaux (Premier Cru)
100% Pinot Noir. Produced from old vines that are over 50 years old in the Vosne Romanee appellation. Fermented in stainless steel tanks or wooden vats, the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for 11 days in wooden vats. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 100% new French oak for 18 months. A renowned Premier Cru vineyard in the Vosne Romanee appellation, the wine is suitable for cellaring.
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Château de Marsannay Rosé
100% Pinot Noir. The rosé wine is made in two ways: either by pressing the grapes immediately to produce a rosé light in colour and extraction, or by subjecting the wine to a short maceration – 24-72 hours typically – before pressing. After fermentation, the wine is left in stainless steel vats for 6 months to maintain its freshness. A lovely, fruit driven rosé from the Burgundy region.
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Château de Marsannay Blanc (White)
100% Chardonnay. The wine is fermented in oak barrels, before being aged in either wooden vats or barrel for a period of about 14 months. A fresh, fruity Chardonnay, quite different from the wines of Meursault and Montrachet.
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Château de Marsannay Puligny Montrachet Cuvee de Maiziere
100% Chardonnay. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and 30% new French oak. After fermentation, the wine aged in barrels for a further period of 19 months. A delicious example of Puligny Montrachet, ideal for pairing with seafood and white meats.
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Château de Marsannay Beaune Clos du Roi Cuvee Chevalier Martin (Premier Cru)
100% Pinot Noir. Fermented in stainless steel tanks or the must is subject to a pre-fermentation cold soak for 1 week. After fermentation, the wine is aged in 30% new French oak for 18 months. A renowned Premier Cru vineyard in the Beaune appellation, the wine is suitable for cellaring.
Winery details
Route de Grands Crus
21160, Marsannay-la-cote, Burgundy
France
Tel +(33) 03 80 51 71 11
Fax + (33) 03 80 51 71 12
- Appellation
- AOC Marsannay
- Founded
- 7th century
- Area under vine
- 34 hectares
- Age of vines
- 35 years+
- Oak barrel origin
- French
- Winemaker
- Cyril Chirouze
- Owner
- Olivier Halley
- Production
- 240,000 bottles per annum
- Grape varietals
- Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
