Tasted in Vosne-Romanée with Marie-Christine Mugneret, 03 October 2022.
Domaine Georges Mugneret Gibourg
5, rue des Communes
21700 Vosne-Romanée
Tel: +33 3 80 61 01 57
www.mugneret-gibourg.com
More reports with Domaine Georges Mugneret Gibourg
The new chambre d’hôtes of the domaine were practically ready for guests when I visited, so I was able to make a tour – you can already book.
Marie-Christine on 2022:
“We are assured because at the end of 2021 we didn’t have the degeneration of vines/yields in 2022 that we had seen in some of the previous vintages – there is degeneration and it was often augmented by the dryness – fortunately we had plenty of rain to start the vintage in 2022 and I think we had enough reserve of water so didn’t suffer from as much as we feared. I think because of that we had a proper volume in 22 – double what we had in 21 – or put another way 21 was half a harvest and that followed a low volume vintage in 2020 due to the dryness and heat combined – we feel assured.”
Marie-Christine on 2021:
“For villages, it’s okay because it’s cold here near the Route Nationale, so the vines here were later developing and missed the problem with the frost but high temperatures of the week before, particularly on the hillsides and in the grand crus meant a lot of damage. For us, it’s a case of value more than volume – 80% less in Ruchottes, 60% less in Echezeaux and 50% less in our Clos de Vougeot. May frosts are much worse in the villages, but, as we see, it’s different in April… We will taste just the principal cuvées and not the grand crus – the latter here having the smallest volume – under 10hl/ha. The low-lying vines were hardly touched by the frost as they are later to start their cycle – but not the rest…”
The wines…
I tasted at this domaine quite early in my programme – I’m quite sure that my notes will prove to be conservative!
They will assemble their wines in the new year – planning to bottle from around April 2023 – without fining or filtering:
2021 Vosne-Romanée
The usual parcels (3) of different ages – the Colombiere still kept as a separate cuvée despite the low volume vintage.
A little compact but these aromas are still perfumed and modestly spiced – part of the latter coming from the barrel today. Open, accessible – elegant – such a perfumed flavour here. Easy and absolutely delicious. Only in the finish some faint young bitters – but these bring a fine, lip-smacking complexity – yum!
Vinified like the previous but from the single parcel of old-vines between the house and the Route Nationale.
Also the aromas are not fully open here but it’s showing more depth and dimension of aroma in that depth. Extra silk, more structural too – but what a combination of silk and shape – this is one of the rarer wines, so far, in 2021 that I would describe as fluid. Slowly narrowing but really beautifully fading. Benchmark villages in 2021!
2021 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Chaignots
Middle of the vines on the Vosne side. Here we jump to 50% new oak and all destemmed – the previous wines had 25% new oak.
A different aromatic shape – rounder and more cushioned – also more perfumed. Sitting well on the palate, mineral and mouth-watering – always combined with the perfume of the nose. I might guess that there are some stems in here with this style of perfume. Very expressive and very delicious!
2021 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Feuselottes
In the middle under the village – a place that suffers less from the dryness. Vines neighbouring those of Cécile Tremblay
A little twist of reduction/oak on this nose. Less mouth-filling volume but a wine that gains in intensity as crosses over your tongue. Broadening in the finish, widening even further – mineral, complex, floral – pure, perfectly focused Chambolle here – the first part of the wine is much more guarded today – it clearly just needs more time – it’s already excellent.
2021 Echézeaux
Rouges du Bas on the hillside – old vines plus a smaller parcel at the bottom next to the wall of Clos de Vougeot in the corner with Grands Echezeaux. Picked the same day, vinified together, with 20% wc. 60% new oak but it’s already practically invisible.
Also a modest volume of aroma – but what aroma – wow! – it’s just so involving. Extra in the mouth – enveloping the palate, super-complexity too. Here’s a wine that’s more elegant than forceful but just keeps on delivering more and more flavour. Simply excellent wine again!
2021 Ruchottes-Chambertin
The bottom of the vineyard with Roumier and Rousseau – together the 3 have over 2 of the vineyard’s 3.5 hectares. Only 2 barrels of Ruchottes from 0.60 ha
At least we have 50% here: Some 70-year-old vines at the top, sandwiched between JN Méo and Lamarche (now Liger-Belair)
Compact aromas again but once more beautifully floral and inviting. Sinuous, mobile, indeed fluidly flavoured. There are no really big wines here in 2021 but here is a complete wine for the vintage – and bravo for that!