Among Burgundy’s many delicious wines, those from Chambolle-Musigny frequently offer the most alluring and enchanting delights especially in outstanding vintages. The best examples balance delicate, complex red fruit aromas and ripe, transparent flavors with uplifting freshness and silky, elegant tannins. Drinking and enjoying four terrific Chambolle wines at a recent lunch proved the point convincingly.
DOMAINE ROBERT GROFFIER
The delicious 2002 Domaine Robert Groffier Père & Fils, Chambolle-Musigny “Les Amoureuses” 1er cru led the pack as a sheer delight. Intoxicating, beautiful red fruit and earthy aromas gave way to pure ripe red fruit with ample concentration. A perfect vein of fresh acidity and elegant tannins carried through the long, long finish. This is a completely seamless and marvelous wine from 2002, a vintage where the reds have finally begun shedding austerity in favor of supple flesh. Kudos to dedicated winegrower Serge Groffier who produced the wine working with his equally talented son, Nicolas, who now directs the domaine located in Morey-Saint-Denis. The vineyard “Les Amoureuses,” meaning “The Lovers” is certainly one of Burgundy’s most beguiling names. The vineyard lies just below the famed Musigny Grand cru as shown on the map at the bottom of the story.
DOMAINE JACQUES-FRÉDÉRIC MUGNIER
The 2002 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Chambolle-Musigny “Les Fuées” 1er cru followed closely behind.
Fred Mugnier occupies a handsome, three story white stone manor house located in an enclosed park-like setting right in the village of Chambolle. For his wines, he favors an understated, highly finessed style without brute extraction. The irresistible, seductive 2002 Chambolle-Musigny “Les Fuées” 1er cru displayed Mugnier’s trademark style perfectly. Pretty red fruit and floral aromas opened in the glass leading to juicy, elegant red fruit flavors layered in medium concentration. Bright acidity and smooth seamless tannins carried the long finish. It is an incredibly silky, delicious wine with a delicacy uncommon in the 2002 vintage.
DOMAINE DANIEL RION
The Rion Family resides in the village of Premeaux-Prissey down Route 74 south of Chambolle. Their parcel in Chambolle-Musigny “Les Beaux-Bruns” lies down slope from the premier crus and has relatively deep soils as well as a warmer microclimate. This creates a richer style wine as shown by the Rion’s absolutely delicious, beautifully balanced example from 2005. The ruby color unfolded dark red fruit aromas with pleasant spicy touches. Ripe, juicy dark red fruit flavors layered with fresh acidity and silky, seamless tannins. Many wines from the warm 2005 vintage lack proper balance, but this wine offered everything you hope to find in well made, delectable red Burgundy.
DOMAINE BRUNO CLAIR
Winegrower Bruno Clair and winemaker Philippe Brun. Clair used fruit from well placed village level vines to produce the 2005 Domaine Bruno Clair, Chambolle-Musigny “Les Veroilles,” a delicious, masterful effort. Clair planted the Pinot Noir vines in 1989 on two previously abandoned plots.. Ripe, pure red fruits jump from the glass with just a hint of pleasant earthiness. Intense, vibrant red fruit flavors characteristic of the warm 2005 vintage balance with refreshing mineral notes and precise, silky tannins through a long, fruity finish. The wine made a perfect complement to classic Cuisses des Grenouilles–lightly breaded frogs sauteed in butter and garlic. Bruno Clair has his cellar in Marsannay, up the D74 main thoroughfare north of Chambolle. He also produces outstanding Gevrey-Chambertins including an incredibly beautiful wine from Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru where two thirds of his vines date from 1912!
Do you have a favorite producer of Chambolle-Musigny wines? Share you experiences in the comments below and cheers!