Collecting and drinking red Burgundy can quickly graduate from hobby to obsession, given the region’s complex network of vineyards, classifications, and multi-generational family dynasties. And it’s among the obsessed that the merits of individual vineyards are endlessly parsed, to the point where some sites—such as “Les Clos Saint-Jacques,” a Premier Cru in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin—develop outsized reputations.
Many Burgundy experts believe that Clos Saint-Jacques should be a Grand Cru, joining the 25 that already exist in the Côte de Nuits. And while Domaine Bruno Clair’s Clos Saint-Jacques is not its most expensive bottling (the estate has pieces of three Grand Crus, including “Bonnes-Mares,” which we offered recently), it is arguably its most prestigious and sought-after. Hailing from the superb 2014 vintage and boasting the kind of multi-layered complexity that augurs well for a long life in the cellar, this is some of the best of the best, plain and simple. Clair is one of just five owners in the seven-hectare Clos Saint-Jacques cru, sharing space with the venerable Domaine Armand Rousseau, whose bottlings from here will cost you three times as much. I only wish we could have gotten more of it; we’re sending this offer only to our very top customers and can only allot a single bottle per customer until our stock runs out.
As established subscribers are aware, we’ve offered a broad range of wines from Bruno Clair, whose domaine extends over an impressive 24 hectares in the Côte d’Or. Bruno’s grandfather, Joseph, established the domaine Clair-Daü in Marsannay just after World War I, and Marsannay remains a key component of a Clair estate which, since Bruno came aboard in the mid-1980s, has expanded to include vineyards in 9 appellations. He farms vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin (from which most of his wines hail), Morey-Saint-Denis, Pernand-Vergelesses, Corton-Charlemagne, Aloxe-Corton, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and Savigny-lès-Beaune. Clair’s parcel of Clos Saint-Jacques is just a single hectare and, like all the other parcels of the site, runs in a long, top-to-bottom strip. Half the plot was planted in 1957, the other in 1972, and it came to Clair via his mother, Genevieve Bartet. The wine was previously sold under her name and came under the Domaine Bruno Clair umbrella as of 1998.
Bruno himself is a viticulturist first and foremost, known for detailed, arduous work in his vineyards (he works organically, but hasn’t bothered to get certified). He farms his vines entirely without chemical fertilizers; composts and plows the soils; maintains low yields; and seemingly knows the health of each vine on his estate. The hand-harvested fruit is meticulously sorted then partially destemmed, depending on the requirements of the vintage as well as the individual site.
In the cellar, Bruno works closely with longtime enologist/right hand Phillippe Brun to craft wines traditionally with the ultimate respect for vintage and site. Fermentation takes place in open-top wooden vats and is achieved through only natural yeasts. Wine is ‘punched down’ regularly over a 14- to 21-day cuvaison (maceration on the skins during fermentation), then transferred to oak where is undergoes malolactic fermentation in the Spring. The wine is then racked and continues to age sur lie in 20%-50% new oak depending on the demands of the individual vintage for roughly 16-22 months. In a world of heavy-handed, modern-styled wines, Bruno Clair’s offerings capture the subtlety, finesse and sense of place that only great Burgundy can achieve. Nevertheless, his wines are not crafted to pop and pour; they are rare snapshots of Burgundy that are meant to be aged and pondered on the most special of occasions.
In the glass, the 2014 Clos St. Jacques displays a dark ruby core with garnet highlights on the rim. As expected, the nose is deeply complex with nuanced notes of cherry blossoms, strawberry, rose hips, damp mushrooms, forest floor, turned earth, and hints of finely integrated exotic spice notes. It’s medium-plus in body with soft and layered tannins which seem to unfold the endless flavors of delicate red fruits, crushed stones and humid earth. To experience a wine of this pedigree at any point is magical, especially from a great vintage like 2014, but the true magic of this wine will be seen after its tenth birthday, so be as patient as possible. If enjoying this wine soon, pull the cork in the morning and keep in a cool spot to allow to gently open up over time. Serve in large Burgundy bowls at 60-65 degrees; this is one of those thought-provoking reds whose perfume is ever-evolving, and I can’t wait to see what it becomes with proper cellar aging under its belt. A wine this profound and elegant will pair well with a wide range of dishes but the exotic flavors in the attached Cantonese roast duck recipe caught my eye; it’s a great dish for great Pinot Noir. Cheers!
