Marsannay Clos du Roy 2023 Domaine Charles Audoin

The Marsannay Clos du Roy 2023 from Domaine Charles Audoin is one of the most powerful and serious cuvées in the range, a Pinot Noir of remarkable depth and concentration from a vineyard steeped in royal heritage. Critics anticipate its imminent elevation to Premier Cru status. The terroir of Clos du Roy tells a story of medieval politics: this climate, in Chenôve at the northern edge of Marsannay, once belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy before King Louis XI confiscated it in 1477, renamed it a royal domain, and gave it his name. Planted at 270 metres altitude on a gentle south-easterly slope, the vines grow in exceptionally hard limestone, a mineral and well-draining substrate that forces Pinot Noir roots deep into the earth. This chalky limestone is precisely what gives Clos du Roy its concentrated, dark, and tannic character, more reminiscent of Gevrey-Chambertin than typical Marsannay.

On the nose, wild raspberry and red berries open with striking purity, followed by notes of black cherry, rose petals, and dark chocolate, with the cool chalk and flint minerality that marks this limestone terroir. The palate is concentrated and ample, built on ripe, silky tannins from a five-day cold maceration and gentle extraction. The attack is crisp with bright acidity that drives the finish towards a long, mineral, slightly chalky conclusion. Bottled without fining or filtration on a favourable lunar day, this wine drinks well now or will develop beautifully through to 2033–2038.

Domaine Charles Audoin has been the reference point for Marsannay since 1972. Founded by Charles Audoin and now run by his son Cyril since 2009, the 14-hectare domaine across Marsannay, Fixin, and Gevrey-Chambertin achieved organic certification in 2021. In the cellar, Cyril favours gentle extraction, 25 per cent whole-bunch fermentation, and two winters of ageing in barrel (just 10 to 20 per cent new oak) followed by a few months in vat, before bottling without fining or filtration. The result is a pure, precise, and elegant style that lets the fruit and terroir speak clearly.

This Clos du Roy will pair beautifully with beef bourguignon, a grilled côte de boeuf with wild mushrooms, roast lamb with Provençal herbs, duck with cherries, or game birds such as roasted quail. It also harmonises well with aged cheeses like Époisses, old Cîteaux, or Soumaintrain. Decant for 45 minutes in youth. Serve between 15 and 17 °C to reveal the full depth, minerality, and elegance of this royal Côte de Nuits terroir.