Marcel Brubach

Marcel Brubach: The Quiet Transformation of an Alsatian in the Mâconnais

After training as a winegrower at various estates in the Mâcon region, Marcel Brubach took over a hectare of vines in 2015. He farms the land on a leasehold basis in the commune of Solutré-Pouilly, within the Pouilly-Fuissé and Mâcon-Solutré appellations, using sustainable farming practices whilst holding down a day job.

The first vintage was released in 2016: a Mâcon-Solutré. The estate then expanded by 4.5 hectares in 2018, eventually reaching 5.3 hectares today in the hamlet of Solutré. It produces wines under the Mâcon-Solutré and Pouilly-Fuissé appellations (including the Diablotins and a Premier Cru) and, most recently, a Saint-Véran (2022).

A typical Mâconnais terroir in the hamlet of Solutré

The Mâconnais vineyards and their magnificent landscape are situated on the southern edge of Burgundy. Thanks to the variety of soils and microclimates, they offer a vast array of aromas and nuances that combine richness and finesse. The white wines are produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.

Here, the rocks of Solutré and Vergisson shape the landscape. These hills, rising to over 450 metres, are renowned for their ‘limestone grasslands’, that is to say, soil composed of highly calcareous bedrock. It is precisely on and around these slopes that the vineyards yielding the renowned Pouilly-Fuissé wine are harvested.

The work of Marcel Brubach

Agroecology and High Environmental Value (HEV)

Because wine is made first and foremost in the vineyard, and because every action and every intervention has an impact, Marcel Brubach cultivates his vines using sustainable methods that respect the environment.

• Soil preparation and ploughing
• Conservation of hedges, trees and dry stone walls. 
• No use of insecticides. Vine treatments kept to a minimum.

Thanks to his agroecological practices, he was awarded HVE Level III certification in 2018. This certification recognises all the measures taken on the farm to preserve biodiversity and reduce the use of plant protection products. 

Grape harvest

The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and sorted by plot. Yields have already been controlled through pruning. We take great care of the grapes from harvest right through to vatting, minimising crushing as much as possible. It is by preserving the grapes as much as possible that we produce wines of great freshness, with their fruit character intact.

Wine-making

The grapes are pressed very gently. The juices are kept cold for 24 hours and then transferred to stainless steel vats (for Mâcon-Solutré) or oak barrels (Pouilly-Fuissé and Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru) for fermentation. The wine is aged on its lees, with frequent stirring, for a period of 8 to 10 months before bottling. New barrels never account for more than 30% of the total, ensuring that the wine’s oak influence is perfectly controlled.

End-to-end control

Controlling the entire process from start to finish, from cultivation to bottling, is the estate’s greatest source of pride: here, we cultivate the vines, harvest the grapes, make the wine, age it and bottle it on the estate.

A few photos of the Marcel Brubach estate