Winemaker Notes
Musigny is remarkable for its great purity of color. The aromas are reminiscent of violet and fruit stone when the wine is young. After eight to ten years, these aromas become very refined and complex: fallen leaves, damp earth, moss and hints of fur or leather. The tasting sensations are incomparable in terms of finesse and harmony. The tannins are elegant, although very much alive. Silk and velvet match the liveliness of the acidity. The lingering aftertaste is dominated by hints of rare, exotic woods as well as candied cherry.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
This incomparable wine has great complexity and layers of flavours, with elegant cherry and blackberry fruit aromas, cedar, spice and spectacular depth. Despite the heat of the year, a marvellous freshness here brings energy to the wine and works well with the grippy tannins. The grapes come from two domaine-owned parcels that total 0.68 hectares. Both are located in Grand Musigny near the northern end of the appellation. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented to produce this quintessential Musigny that will be accessible reasonably soon for a wine of this quality yet will age effortlessly for decades.
Barrel Sample: 98 -
Vinous
The 2022 Musigny Grand Cru underwent two pickings, August 27 for the declassified younger vines, and September 5. It has a well-defined bouquet with touches of undergrowth infusing the brambly red fruit, graphite and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh, and vibrant with svelte tannins, fine acidity, and an elegant finish. This very refined Musigny will improve with bottle age.
Barrel Sample: 96-98 -
Jasper Morris
A glowing vivacious purple. Evident density more than detail. The huge mouthful of velvet fruit behind that one expects, slightly higher toned in acidity, with a sensuous and sinuous fruit that stretches out to a long fine red fruit finish, where you can just see the whole bunch effect. The finish is much more detailed than the attack! Barrel Sample: (95-97)
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James Suckling
Made with 40% whole clusters in the fermentor. The stems bring in some of the dried flower and cedar aromas that usually come from aging. Amazing aromas of forest floor, mushrooms and wild berries, with deep, broad plums, sour cherries and blackcurrants on the palate. Racy acidity carries it beautifully through the finish. Best from 2028.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Drouhin's 2022 Musigny Grand Cru is a beauty, wafting from the glass with scents of ripe cherries and raspberries mingled with blood orange, peonies and baking spices. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's layered and vibrant, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, mineral finish.
Barrel Sample: 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.