Domaine Charles Audoin Marsannay "Les Longeroies" 2022
(Burgundy, France) - [JS 96] [WA 93] [BH 92]

About the Domaine:
The Audoin family has been based in the Marsannay region farming vineyards and producing wine for five generations. The first three generations sold their wine production to négociants and to a lesser extent to cafés in Dijon. It was with the arrival of Charles Audoin in 1972 that the focus began to be on domaine bottling and expanding the vineyard holdings. In 1972 when Charles took the reins the domaine only had 2.5 hectares of vineyards, over the years he expanded that to 14 hectares.

Cyril, Charles’s son, took the reins in 2009 but Charles is still very active in the day to day operations, particularly in the vineyards. With the arrival of Cyril there has been an increased interest in the domaine and the level of quality that they are producing has never been better. Cyril chose to keep the domaine under his father’s name, he credits his father with bringing the most change and attention to the domaine.

Being located in Marsannay has historically put them at a disadvantage as far as market recognition, however on the flip side of that the wines have always represented excellent value when it comes to great wines from Burgundy. Marsannay was the last village to pick up appellation status, the rest of the Côte de Nuits gained their status in the 30’s, Marsannay was granted their village status in 1987. Part of this reasoning is because the village had always been known for their excellent rosé production, but due to having a focus on rosé it wasn’t taken as seriously as the villages that focused on red or white production. Driven by market demand the village’s focus has shifted in recent decades to be more red and white wine focused, which is great for overall recognition but according to Cyril it is at a cost. Most producers no longer produce a rosé, since the market demand for it is so low. The Audoin estate is one of the few that has kept up this historic tradition, while also ramping up their red and white production at the same time.

FARMING & PHILOSOPHY…
The domaine’s farming falls under sustainable-lutte raisonée but they farm almost exclusively with organic practices, but do not hold a certification. With the arrival of Cyril brought more focus on farming with the environment in mind when considering their practices. All harvesting is done by hand with selective sorting of the fruit.

The wines are made in a very traditional manner. The reds see a varying degree of whole cluster inclusion during ferments, rarely seeing more than 30% and in some years there is no stem inclusion. This is all dependent on the vintage and ripeness of the fruit and stems. Extractions are on the lighter side, keeping with the focus of allowing the fruit to show the elegance and grace of the domaine’s terroir. Elevage for all their wines is carried out in barrel, mostly neutral but with some varying degrees of new oak depending on the cuvée.

VINEYARDS
Although the domaine owns and bottles a couple of wines from village level sites in both Gevrey-Chambertin & Fixin, the heart of the domaine lies in Marsannay. In Marsannay they produce seven different red bottlings, four whites and a rosé; as well an Aligoté.

Audoin produces several cuvée bottlings of both red and white Marsannay, he has a red that is a blend of his youngest vines as well as a bottlings of his oldest vines which is labeled “Cuvée Marie Ragonneau” named after his great grandmother, who continued the vineyard work after her husband died in World War I. Cyril wanted to honor her with this cuvée, stating that if it weren’t for her his family may not have a domaine and vineyards to work today.

HARVEST & VINIFICATION
Grapes were 100% destemmed and cold macerated. Cyril takes extra care not to crush the grapes during pneumatic pressing in order to preserve the aroma and freshness. Made in 500 L barrels. The wine is then aged in 20% new oak barrels from the Vosges region for one year. No lees stirring. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

VINEYARDS & VITICULTURE

SOILS
Limestone and clay

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - James Suckling:

Wonderfully open and enticing with great sour-cherry fruit, this exudes generosity and succulence that’s hard to resist. Ample, fine tannins are already perfectly integrated on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Very long, generous yet precise finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

91-93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
Bright and giving, the 2022 Marsannay Les Longeroies bursts with scents of cherries, red berries, orange zest and peony. Medium to full-bodied, suave and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit and supple tannins, it concludes with a bright, mouthwatering finish. Cyril Audoin presides over this 14-hectare Marsannay reference point, and he has produced excellent wines in both colors (to say nothing of a benchmark rosé) in the 2022 vintage. Soils are cultivated mechanically, and yields are kept moderate in the vineyards. In the winery, extractions are gentle and élevage lasts two winters, beginning in barrels (mostly from François Frères) followed by some months in tank. The style is pure and seamless, emphasizing bright fruit tones and supple tannins in reds and texture combined with freshness in white. What's more, the wines are admirably consistent from vintage to vintage.(WK)

90-92 Points - Burghound:
Note: from both the upper and lower climats. This is aromatically similar to the Clos du Roy but with touches of plum and spice. The super-sleek, intense and velvet-textured medium-bodied flavors aren't quite as austere while displaying a similar level of minerality on the lingering finale that isn't quite as complex, though that of course may well change with cellar time.