Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia, Clos du Roy, Marsannay 2022 - 75cl

Marsannay is the Côte de Nuits' best-kept secret for anyone who wants serious Burgundy without the Gevrey price tag. Pierre-Olivier Garcia farms a small artisan domaine here, and his Clos du Roy comes from one of the village's most respected lieux-dits. His method is distinctive: a good chunk of whole bunches, a long, gentle maceration with a single daily hand pump-over, then a year in older oak so the wine speaks of fruit and place rather than barrel.

This is 100% Pinot Noir, and it is all lift and energy. The nose is perfumed — violets, dog-rose, crunchy red berries. The palate is tightly wound and precise, with supple tannins, a bright seam of acidity and a mineral, floral character that carries through the finish. Elegant rather than showy, it is the sort of Marsannay that quietly outperforms its appellation.

Drinking well now with air, it will reward five to eight years in the cellar.

How to Serve

Serve at 15–16°C in a large Burgundy glass. A young, energetic Pinot like this benefits from twenty minutes' air or a short decant to let the perfume open.

Where to Drink It

Noble Rot Soho, where Côte de Nuits villages are treated with the seriousness they deserve. Or The Quality Chop House in Farringdon for its Burgundy-friendly kitchen.

Food Pairings

Roast duck breast, pink, with a little cherry on the plate. Or a simple roast partridge in season.