Marc de Bourgogne Premier Cru Distillerie Mazy

The Marc de Bourgogne Le Premier from Distillerie Mazy is the entry point into the world of Julie Ay's finest marcs. Made from an assemblage of Premier Cru marcs from the Côte de Nuits, principally Gevrey-Chambertin and Fixin, Le Premier is an honest, elegant Burgundy marc that lays the foundations for a range built on transparency, traceability and uncompromising raw materials.

Raw materials and origin

Le Premier is made from 100% destemmed Pinot Noir marcs, selected from Premier Cru sites across the Côte de Nuits, chiefly Gevrey-Chambertin and Fixin, supplied by trusted partner domaines with whom Julie Ay has established relations of mutual confidence and rigour. These marcs, composed of stalks, pips and skins recovered after wine pressing, are distilled within days of arrival at the distillery, an ultra-short supply chain that guarantees freshness and aromatic purity. Distillation proceeds domaine by domaine and climat by climat, with origins never mixed before the final assemblage, and each bottle is numbered for complete traceability. As with the entire range, a detailed technical sheet specifies the supplying domaines, the proportion of each climat and the type of casks used for ageing.

Distillation and ageing

Distillation at Distillerie Mazy follows the same artisanal rigour applied to all the house's cuvées, with careful selection of the heart cut by tasting and precise rectification using mineral-poor water to preserve the purity of the distillate. Ageing lasts 32 to 44 months in 228-litre casks previously used for Marsannay, selected from Tonnellerie Minier, whose previous use imparts a characteristic fruity, vinous note that subtly enriches the marc's aromatic palette. A minimum of two years' ageing is required by the Marc de Bourgogne AOC regulations, obtained in March 2011, an exigency that Julie Ay consistently exceeds to achieve the fullness and depth that characterise her range.

Tasting profile

The colour is amber with copper highlights, warmly luminous. The nose is clean and pure, both virile and elegant, with fresh grape and apple aromas opening frankly, accompanied by notes of roasted cocoa, delicate spice and well-integrated oak, never tipping into the aggression or rusticity of a poorly made marc. On the palate, the attack is frank and structured, with aromas of prunes and citrus marmalade, fleshy and well-built material unfolding with clarity and honesty. The finish is persistent and lush, lingering on cocoa and liquorice with a slight hint of peppermint that signals the freshness of Côte de Nuits marcs. An accessible marc, direct and unpretentious, both virile in character and precise in expression.

The distillery

Founded in 2016 by Julie Ay in Marsannay-la-Côte, on Burgundy's Route des Grands Crus, Distillerie Mazy was born from the passion of a trained biochemist for Burgundian terroir and the discovery of an old liqueur recipe in the family library of her in-laws' estate in Gigondas. Julie Ay has built step by step an artisanal distillery of remarkable rigour and precision, with each cuvée accompanied by a detailed technical sheet detailing supplying domaines, the proportions of varieties and climates, and cask types, reflecting the complete transparency and rigour that characterise this house. The distilling season runs from September to March, with visits available by appointment.

Tasting and food pairing

Le Premier is traditionally enjoyed as a digestif, in a balloon glass gently warmed in the palm of the hand to progressively release its aromas. It also finds its place at the cheese course, ideally with a well-made Époisses or aged Comté, or with dessert, paired with a dark chocolate fondant. And for those wishing to savour it in the most authentic Burgundian tradition, in a warm coffee cup over melting sugar, as the vignerons of the Côte de Nuits still do on long winter evenings.