Pressoir Musigny mugnier dinner recap

Opening a bottle of Domaine Mugnier is always an event, whether it is the more accessible Clos de la Maréchale from their nearly ten-hectare plot in Nuits-Saint-Georges or the rare Grand Cru Musigny.

The domaine is run by Fred Mugnier, the fifth generation of his family and the first to be considered a true vigneron. While his career began in finance, Fred returned to Chambolle-Musigny to take over the family estate, making his debut with the legendary 1985 harvest. Sincerely modest, he admits he was still learning the ropes back then, but he eventually developed a unique style. Unlike many wineries in the region, all his wines are made the exact same way—from the minimal use of new oak to the gentle handling of the fruit. When asked about his signature, his answer is simply "no signature," quoting pianist Glenn Gould, who strived to "play less" so the music could be more essential. Free of artifice or flashy aromas, Mugnier’s wines are profound, emotional, and cerebral.

Mugnier produces two wines in Nuits-Saint-Georges and five in Chambolle-Musigny, with Musigny as the crown jewel. Unusually, Fred ages the Musigny for an extra five years before release. After finding young bottles being consumed immediately at local restaurants, he decided to age them himself in his Chambolle cellar before releasing them to clients.

We recently had the incredible opportunity to host a rare dinner featuring thirteen vintages of Mugnier’s Musigny on September 24th. Here are my tasting notes:

  - 2014: We started with this elegant vintage, described by Fred as "luminous and ravishing." It features amazing, juicy fruit.
  - 2013: A more challenging harvest that produced varied quality across Burgundy, but this is where Fred shines. The 2013 shows great aging potential, likely due to low yields and relatively high acidity despite a late harvest.
  - 2012: Another low-yielding vintage; the wine is pure and fresh with great tension.
  - 2010: Comparable to 2008 and 2001 according to Fred. Cool September temperatures resulted in small grapes with thick skins. It felt a bit shy and closed.
  - 2009: Considered an "easy" vintage, 2009 produced healthy grapes unaffected by disease. The warm year yielded opulent, joyful wines bursting with fruit. Time has tamed its exuberant personality, showing more balance while remaining impressive and fruit-forward.
  - 2008: Surprisingly balanced and delicious, considering the strange weather that year, which alternated between hot and cold.
  - 2005: Similar to 2009 in terms of ideal weather, this year brought few challenges—a rarity in Burgundy. This bottle was among my favorites of the night: meaty, layered, and gorgeous, with notes of small cassis berries.
  - 2001: In Fred's words, "a vintage that got no respect!" While critics overlooked it, this was my absolute favorite wine of the night. The nose was alluring, and the palate was sumptuous, sensual, and perfectly balanced with vibrant acidity.
  - 1990: Jumping to the 1990s was a treat. Surprisingly still a bit tight, aeration helped awaken the bouquet, but the remaining massive structure and noble tannins suggest it still has much to reveal with more bottle age. Save your bottles if you own any!
  - 1989 Vieilles Vignes: Even after a couple of hours, the nose remained somewhat closed, making this another wine to hold. Note that Fred produced two separate cuvées that year (as well as in 1988 and 1986): a "regular" Musigny and a "Vieilles Vignes" bottling. The exact quantities produced remain undisclosed.
  - 1988 Vieilles Vignes: Nice, juicy fruit with an irresistible sweet core laced with delicate acidity. Incredibly memorable.
  - 1986 Vieilles Vignes: Marked by bruised fruit and a slightly leafy quality, this autumnal wine was overshadowed by the more pristine 1988, but remained an impressive bottle.
  - 1915: What a finale! Opening a century-old bottle always comes with caveats, but our managed expectations were blown away. Although the color showed signs of age, the nose and palate were remarkably vibrant and full of verve. Featuring griotte notes on the nose and almond and cherry on the palate, the acidity sustained the wine for an impressively long finish. Simply extraordinary.