Les Genelières Marsannay Pinot Noir

40% whole cluster. 55-year-old vines. Spice and florals on the nose. So complex, concentrated, pure and sappy. Deep, structured, and straight, with terrific inner-mouth aromas and beautiful mouthfeel. Big structure but also real purity.

First time with this since barrel in June 23. Gorgeous aromas of vivid mid season cherry fruit that is very high toned. Love the wet earth as well which is super vivid. Blackberry flower and also kind of an explosive floral element like someone keeps rubbing flower petals in their fingers. Also a meaty, spice element as well. So complex and brilliant. This will be the 1st Marsannay 1er Cru one day. Palate is gorgeous with top notch elegance and terrific freshness and dense fruit that is not fully expressive as this point. Really stoney but ripe tannins. Gorgeous violets now peeking out. Still seems very closed and oozing with potential. I will be back. Gorgeous inner mouth aromas and this has such a seriousness to it. Wow! What an overnight transformation. Remarkable. This needed over 20 hours to come around but when it did it was so supple, juicy and layered with just unreal crystalline fruit. Dark black cherry and wonderful freshness and depth. 9.2 to 9.5 overnight.

Previous notes apply, with a doubling down on the joyous fruit factor.

There’s a lot going on here: first off, an immediate juiciness, very joyous fruit but not out of balance; blue violet notes, stoniness, a cool tone, open knit & so accessible now but damn curious how this may come together & deepen w bottle age or more serious decanting. Downright & immediately enjoyable.

Peter had this 2 years ago

This bottle was flawed.! Tannins a little harsh. Hint of oregano - some whole cluster, cherries. I am sure this will cross over 9 in a couple of years from now. Lacks interesting secondary flavors at the moment.

Lyle was a little winded on this one - but I agree a stunning wine. 13.5%. Pretty dark for a Pinot. Cherry and hint 🫆 of blackberry. More in a sec. ——- perhaps touch of blueberry. Well balanced with good acidity. Very fresh and bright…not earthy at this point. Could go for another 5?years or so.

Excellent.

Absolutely a knockout wine. One of the best I’ve had in recent memory.

Reminds me of a story. About 13 years ago my then girlfriend (now wife) and I were living in Chicago. The owner of a small wine shop called Knightsbridge saw we were into wine and pulled out a bottle with a purple label that I had never seen before. That of course was Sylvain Pataille’s Marsannay - I remember buying a half case for under $25/bottle. We were still early in our burgundy exploration then, but that wine really turned us onto Burgundy in general and the “less heralded” appellations specifically.

Trying this took me back to that moment. Not that this is the same as the Pataille wines, but just the pure sense of discovery and deliciousness - even with value - that you could find back then.

This is perfect paired with roast chicken with mushrooms cooked in the chicken fat. Dense and mouth filling, with incredible dark red fruit, a bit of balsamic, and great acid. Just f’n delicious.

@Lyle Fass

First bottle must have been corked. This is much much better. Sorry Lyle for my first review. Fantastic cherry notes mostly morello. Well managed tannins. Touch herbaceous. Needs to mellow out. Fruit galore. Excellent.