Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jasper Morris
Bright and even purple. An ever-increasing depth of ripe raspberry on the nose, yet with some stricter savoury qualities too. Seamless on the palate, unsure of which commune it lies in, close to giving the best of both. A cousin to Chambolle yet with marked Morey tendencies. The complexity continues across the palate (Morey) while the finish has additional sensuality (Chambolle). Drink from 2032-2038.
Range: 95-97 -
Vinous
The 2023 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, picked in two stages, offers a very perfumed bouquet. Blackberry and blueberry fruit take center stage, while the whole bunch lingers in the background. The medium-bodied palate features a sapid, ripe entry with saturated tannins and layers of black fruit laced with white pepper and hints of orange rind. The finish is intense yet graceful. This may well outperform the 2022. Superb.
Range: 94-96
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Chambolle-Musigny represents the charm of the Côte de Nuits district of Burgundy. But you’ll find that term mainly in reference to the vineyards in its southern stretches, which border Clos Vougeot: the Grand Cru of Le Musingy and in part, its neighboring and most exceptional Premier Cru, Les Amoureuses. Some producers argue for the primacy of Les Amoureuses and its eligibility for Grand Cru status given its wines can sometimes surpass other Grands Crus.
Le Musigny ranks on par with the most acclaimed Grands Crus for Pinot Noir: Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Chambertin, and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. It is also the only Grand Cru in Côte de Nuits for Chardonnay. All of the others are in Côte de Beaune.
This village can in fact claim only two Grands Crus vineyards and—in the context of breaking down the minutiae—they are markedly different. Bonnes-Mares, the other one at the far northern end above the village, bordering Morey-St-Denis, offers power, strength and great aging potential. But Chambolle-Musigny includes a nice handful of exceptional Premiers Crus, as noted above with Les Amoureuses as the finest. Le Fuees and Les Cras are other noteworthy Premiers Crus.
Overall, a top Chambolle-Musigny offers pure aromas of violets, dark cherry and damp earth, coupled with a velvety elegance, supple mid-palate, an abundance of black and red berry, and finesse and power through a long and fine-grained finish.