Domaine Maurice Charleux et Fils Maranges Les Clos Roussots 1er Cru 2022

Domaine Maurice Charleux is located in the picturesque village Dezize-les-Maranges; at the Southern tip of the Côte d’Or about 4 kilometers southwest of Santenay and is famous for producing red wines from the Maranges appellation. Clive Coates describes these wines as “honest, sturdy and rustic in the best sense… (and) with good acidity.” The domaine was founded in 1894 by Ferdinand Charleux, who owned just a little over one acre of vines. Ferdinand’s son Joseph embarked on an ambitious expansion and when he retired after 30 years of hard work the domaine grew to an impressive 8 hectares of vines. Maurice took over in 1970 and branded the wine; hence the name of the winery: Maurice Charleux. 

Maurice’s son Vincent started working with his father in 1990 and recently took over from his father when he retired in 2013. Vincent is the 5th generation. The production of the domaine remains miniscule at less than 4,500 cases per year. Yields are relatively low and although they depend on the vintage they are always below the authorized amount for the appellation. For the 2018 Maranges 1er cru, for example, yields averaged 44 HL/HA (50HL is allowable) As is typical for the Maranges appellation the domaine producers 7 times more red than white. The soils are clay/limestone, with percentages varying between the vineyards; the Maranges Premier Cru Les Clos Roussots has a high percentage of clay, while La Fussière has more limestone.

On the lower slopes of Mont de Sène, the famed Clos Roussots premier cru vineyard rests on brown limestone and Jurassic marl, with a greater clay influence than neighboring La Fussière. This terroir gives Pinot Noir a broader, deeper expression, combining darker fruit, greater concentration, and more substantial structure while retaining the freshness that defines Maranges. The domaine tends these vines with sustainable practices: parcels are either plowed or grass-covered depending on slope stability, copper and sulfur are the backbone of treatments, and synthetics are used only when absolutely necessary to safeguard vine health. The vines, planted at a dense 10,000 per hectare and pruned Cordon de Royat, yield fruit of concentration and lift, hand-harvested and carefully sorted. In the cellar, grapes are fully destemmed, cold-soaked 3–5 days, then fermented 15–21 days in cement tanks with a careful regimen of punch-downs, pump-overs, and délestage. Native yeasts carry fermentation, after which the wine is raised for 12 months in oak (around 20% new) and then settled two months in tank before bottling. Vegan-friendly, unfined and only lightly filtered, the finished wine shows black cherry, raspberry, plum, and subtle spice on the nose, with supple tannins and impressive depth on the palate. The marl's clay contributes breadth and density, while the limestone provides lift and definition, yielding a wine that is powerful yet balanced, with both immediacy and aging potential.