Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses Premier Cru 2017
- Decanter
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Parker
Robert -
Morris
Jasper
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Les Amoureuses represents the very essence of Burgundy; the most Burgundian of Burgundy wines. No other wine in the world has that paradoxical union of exceptional richness (aromatic intensity, depth of texture and length on the palate) and such airy delicacy. The nose is a bouquet of flowers and red berry fruit. Allow this wine at least 7 years to develop. Patient people however will realize that the aging potential can exceed 5 decades for certain great vintages.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Not quite love at first sip, but not far off. This is a characteristically svelte and refined expression of Les Amoureuses from Fred Mugnier. It has rose petal and peony aromas, fine-boned tannins and a sweet, caressing finish that seems to whisper in your ear.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A stunning bouquet of raspberries, rose petals, blood orange and sweet soil tones, deftly framed by a subtle touch of new oak, introduces Mugnier's 2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses, a medium to full-bodied, supple and expansive wine framed by filigree tannins and racy acids, exemplifying the ideal of intensity without weight. Long and precise, this isn't as structured as the 2016 or 2015 renditions, and it will be open for business sooner. But the 2017 Amoureuses loses very little by comparison with those two brilliant wines.
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Jasper Morris
A lighter but bright purple with a graciously elegant bouquet, fine-boned, indeed the charm of the bouquet starts to grow, and glow, in the glass. This is all about the pure red fruit, it is not the most concentrated but there is good intensity and certainly persistence. Of the four Amoureuses, this might be the one which grows most in the glass.
Other Vintages
2020-
Morris
Jasper - Vinous
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Parker
Robert
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Morris
Jasper
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Morris
Jasper
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.