domaine jacques-frédéric mugnier

the vineyards

• The villages Chambolle-Musigny is invariably worth buying, an assembly of two parcels - 0.56 hectares of vines from the 1er cru of Les Plantes, who's vines were planted in 1968-69, and 0.77 hectares from the village part of La Combe d’Orveau who's vines were planted in tranches between 1952 and 1998. There is also a small plot of young vines (1997) Musigny that currently goes into this wine.
• The domaine's Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées is often a personal favourite for it's depth yet transparency, but perhaps that's only because I've rarely drunk their 1er Cru Amoureuses! The domaine farms 0.71 hectares that border on Bonnes-Mares from which the 45 year-old vines produce an average 200-250 cases.
• 0.53 hectares of roughly 50 year-old vines produce close to 200 cases of the domaine's Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - a wine that burghound is apt to describe as 'sex in a glass'. Many commentators place Les Amoureuses at the quality level of a grand cru, and here is a domaine that often serves theirs after their Bonnes-Mares.
• I've never really bought much Bonnes-Mares - Mugnier's being no exception - interestingly Frédéric mentions that he was never completely satisfied with his Bonnes-Mares, assuming it might be something due to the particular mix of clones. To tackle this, in 1988 half of their 0.36 hectares of vines were replanted and only now as they reach maturity is the wine quality reaching his expectations, approximately 100 cases per year are produced. A mix of terres blanche and terres rouge, Frédéric thinks of the wine character being like a more powerful Fuées - its neighbour.
• The domaine's last, and justly most famous wine from Chambolle, is their Musigny Grand Cru. Since 1998, this has become one of the reference points for the appellation - and is very difficult to come by for that - but credit to the domaine, pricing has so-far avoided the 'aspirational'. The domaine's wine beautifully showcases the special charms of the vineyard - Frédéric is fortunate to hold a massive (relative to all except de Vogüé) 1.14 hectares of mature (1947-1962) vines that can yield 400 cases in a bountiful year.

• Originally purchased at auction in 1902, the Clos de la Marechale is a large Clos just out of the village of Premeaux. The Marechale vineyard itself is a large 10 hectare enclosure - walled to all sides. Some disrepair to the walls can be seen - this will be a long-term project for Frédéric, including repair to the central temple-like central building that could some-day become guest accommodation. Hardly picturesque with the great spoil tips from the stone-works behind, these tips are relatively recent - mainly a product of the 1980's - still there is a 15 year project proposed to use this spoil for civil construction. This might make the surroundings prettier, but there's some concern amongst the growers about the dust that will be generated - perhaps for four weeks before the harvest there should be no trucks(?) The plot is split into 8 areas, the oldest vines were planted pre-world war 2, but in the main seven of the eight plots were replanted by Faiveley between 1950 and 1970. The 8th is a replanting of around 400 square metres of chardonnay along the northern edge of the vineyard - worth 5 barrels in 2005. Following the end of the lease to Faiveley, 2004 is the first modern vintage of the Clos de la Marechale.

the philosophy

2004