Pascal Marchand is a French-Canadian who arrived in Burgundy in 1983 to work the harvest at Domaine Bruno Clair. A big personality with apparently limitless energy, he quickly developed a talent for working with Pinot Noir. He became winemaker at Comte Armand’s Clos des Epeneaux and Domaine de la Vougeraie and was a consulting winemaker at Thomas-Moillard and numerous wineries around the world before starting his own negociant business in 2006. Marchand calls his maison a “micro-negoce,” reflecting his desire to remain a small, highly individualistic negociant. Since Thomas-Moillard closed down Marchand has acquired many of that domaine’s buildings and he is now making his wine on the site. Marchand makes both reds and whites, and his wines earn compliments and scores in the mid-90s. He produces Grand Crus including Corton, Gevrey-Chambertin, Batard Montrachet, Meursault, Clos de la Roche, Mazis-Chambertin, Latricieres-Chambertin, Echezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. He also produces Premier Crus and village wines.
Clos de Vougeot is a walled vineyard that dominates the tiny commune of Vougeot in Burgundy’s Nuits-St.-Georges. The 124-acre Grand Cru vineyard includes a historic chateau that in 1945 was purchased by the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, an organization devoted to promoting the traditions of Burgundy and its wines. The impressive chateau is the organization’s headquarters. Clos de Vougeot was established as a vineyard by Cistercian monks in the 12th century, then sold off to private owners after the French Revolution. The vineyard is unusual for a Grand Cru in that it includes land that runs down to the main road. The soil is light limestone with sand. Principal landowners are Chateau de la Tour, with 13 acres; Meo-Camuzet, 7.5 acres; Rebourseau, 5.5 acres; Louis Jadot, 5.3 acres; and Leroy, 5 acres.
This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.