Chambolle- Musigny All roads lead to Rome

What's new in Chambolle- Musigny Well, to be perfectly honest, not much in reality, and please don't see anything pejorative or negative in what we're saying. village of Chambolle- Musigny , in the heart of the Côte de Nuits has now reached a kind of global peak—and we choose our words carefully—in terms of prestige. A kind of "Everest" that very few in the world of fine wines still share. Prices have indeed increased over the last ten years, but that's also the price of rarity. appellation in fact only accounts for approximately 153 hectares of villages and Premier Cru vineyards, roughly ten hectares of Grand Cru vineyards (see key points), dedicated to the production of these red wines that are snapped up by wealthy enthusiasts worldwide. A few exceptional recent vintages such as 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020 have also greatly contributed to this frenzy of international demand, which, for the time being at least, shows no signs of abating. Among the vintages covered in the buyer's guide on the following pages, 2022 is certainly not going to dampen the enthusiasm, as nearly 90% of the wines have been selected! After a beautiful, dry, hot, and sun-drenched season, the winemakers harvested grapes of pinot noir Perfectly ripe, healthy; fruit just perfect for producing red wines that are at once very rich, precise, luscious, and well-balanced. This is a pleasant surprise in such a hot year, even though we had already seen in 2020 that the vines have a great capacity for adaptation, even in the most scorching years. It should be noted, however, that the picture is less rosy for the other vintage included in this tasting, 2021…

To cut short, while life has aspects of a bed of roses, at least in commercial terms, Chambolle-Musigny also sheds a fine insight into the diversity of technical choices made by different people to ultimately achieve the same objective of excellence. The case of the two estates highlighted is perfectly revealing, with two completely opposite approaches to aging: Frédéric Magnien, fearing the “aromatization” brought by barrels, has for nearly ten years been moving towards aging partly in amphorae, while the second, Dominique Laurent, considers that long barrel aging on lees is the key to revealing the terroirs. It is difficult to proceed in more different ways, and yet, in both cases, the wines are very successful. And you only have to read carefully the technical data sheets that winegrowers and négociants have attached to the samples submitted for our tasting to realize how much the vinification "protocols" vary from one to another. And this at all stages of wine production: percentages of destemming and whole-cluster fermentation, fermentation times and temperatures, aging times and percentages of new or older barrels, of 228 liters or larger capacities, etc. They never agree with each other, never take the same road to Rome, but they all arrive at their destination.

And in the end, remaining in the same vein of diversity, let's stop once and for all categorizing the wines of Chambolle-Musigny as uniformly and eternally fine and elegant. It would be ridiculous to compare a Sentiers and a Charmes, a Borniques and a Fuées. The wines of Chambolle-Musigny are great, rich, fine, refined, complex, sometimes disappointing, that can happen, but they are simply in the image of those who make them and the terroirs from which they come.

Text : Christophe Tupinier

Photography: Jean-Louis Bernuy

Chambolle- Musigny

Grands Crus: 10.13 hectares (ha) of Musigny (including 66 ares of blanc ) and 1.5 ha of Bonnes-Mares (out of the 15.05 ha that make up the appellation (the remainder being located in Morey-Saint-Denis).

Premier crus: 58 ha.

Villages : 95 ha.

The buyer's guide

Chambolle- Musigny , villages Premier cru wines, grand cru Bonnes Mares, 2022-2021

Results: a rollercoaster ride!

In this tasting, Chambolle-Musigny achieved the feat of obtaining one of the highest percentages of selected wines in the history of the magazine, with almost 90% success in 2022 out of a large number of wines presented... and one of the lowest, 28.5% of wines selected in 2021, 60-point differences between the two vintages, which makes for a bit of a “mess”. Even if the tasting panel is “instructed” to judge each wine on a scale of 20 out of 20, a simple Burgundy from a small vintage or a grand cru in a renowned year can theoretically both achieve the maximum score, but if two very different years are tasted on the same day, the comparison can be painful. This is what we do every time we taste wines, and this is what happened with Chambolle-Musigny. “Stuck” between 2020 and 2022, 2021 was somewhat unlucky! Successful bottles are not without merit, in a fine style, on the fruit, with sometimes beautiful materials, but they are rare and nothing like 2022, where the pinot noir worked wonders with consistent, fleshy wines, bursting with fruit, with silky and well-balanced tannins. Prices are what they are in Chambolle-Musigny, but if you ever decide to break open the piggy bank, do it for a vintage like 2022.

Chambolle- Musigny villages and Premier Cru 2022: 61 wines presented – 54 selected – 88.5% success rate.

Chambolle- Musigny villages and Premier Crus 2021: 21 wines presented – 6 selected – 28.5% success rate.

Grand cru Bonnes Mares: 3 wines presented – 2 selected – 66.66% success rate.

The costs

Price ranges including VAT, ex-cellar.

Villages : from €50.

Premier cru wines: from €70.

Grand cru wines: from €130.

Amiot-Servelle – Organic

21220 Chambolle- Musigny – Tel. 03 80 62 80 39

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Borniques 2022 – 94

The nose reveals great complexity with aromas of red and black fruits. On the palate, the texture is luscious, generous, and harmonious. premier cru "Rich, of great finesse, something one can project oneself onto," concludes a taster.

musigny 2022 – 94

Intense, purplish robe. Ripe, delicate, and sweet aromas: peonies, violets, black fruits… The palate is ample, smooth, and luscious, with fine, silky, and elegant tannins. A harmonious, soft, fleshy, and well-rounded wine.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Lovers 2022 – 93

The nose reveals rich, complex, and clean aromas of black fruit and flowers. On the palate, the wine is compact, rich, pure, and long, with quality tannins and well-integrated oak. This wine shows great potential. premier cru refined, still somewhat reserved.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Behind the Barn 2021 – 93

A complex nose of red and black fruits, enveloped by subtle oak and licorice notes. The palate is vibrant, with luscious, fleshy fruit, elegant tannins, good balance, richness, and a lovely length. A wine well above the average for 2021.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Plants 2022 – 93

Deep, black robe. Licorice nose, with a concentration of red and black fruits: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. On the palate, finesse, good density, fine tannins and a finish with licorice-chocolate notes.

Chambolle- musigny Les Bas Doix 2022 – 92

Deep garnet robe. The nose is initially reserved, gradually opening up to reveal aromas of black and red fruits and floral notes (violet). The palate is lively on the attack, revealing a silky texture. A luscious, tender, and fleshy wine with a beautiful dynamism.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Plants 2021 – 91

Intense, garnet robe. Precise nose, opening with notes of perfectly ripe black fruit. A palate with lovely density, tannins that still need to soften (2021…), but the overall balance is good. A fine bottle to enjoy in 5 years.

musigny 2021 – 90

Deeply colored, garnet robe. On the nose, lovely notes of fresh fruit: raspberries, strawberries, cherries… Balanced, fine, silky, pleasant palate, all finesse.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Rockets 2022 – 88

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Behind the Barn 2022 – 87

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Lovers 2021 – 87

Domaine Arlaud – Maison Arlaud – BIO

21220 Morey-Saint-Denis – Tel. 03 80 34 32 65

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Noirots 2022 (€147) – 92

Certified organic for over 15 years, the domaine presents a cuvée With floral and spicy aromas, nuanced with orange zest. A dense, fleshy palate with a "sweet" fruitiness and fine tannins. A harmonious and elegant wine.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Trails 2022 (€158) – 92

This cuvée It reveals subtle notes of bergamot, rose, and a touch of menthol. Aromas of dark fruit then unfold. The palate follows suit, with depth and rich, luscious flavors of cherries and blackberries… Great potential!

musigny 2022 – 89

A lovely fruity nose, fresh, delicate, with aromas of raspberries, candied cherries, blueberries… A balanced, silky, fleshy wine, endowed with fine tannins and character.

Maison Jean-Claude Boisset

21700 Nuits-Saint-Georges – Tel. 03 80 62 61 61

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Charmes 2022 (€170) – 88

Chambolle- musigny 2022 (€80) – 86

Château de Laborde

21200 Meursanges – Tel. 03 80 26 59 68

musigny 2022 – 93

This cuvée reveals a very beautiful dress pinot noir Intense, brilliant. Nose concentrated on floral notes, peonies, violets… and a subtle oakiness. Palate elegant, refined, silky and with a beautiful persistence.

Bruno Clair

21160 Marsannay -la-Côte – Tel. 03 80 52 28 95

The best bottle

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Charmes 2022 (€125) – 97

This wonderful cuvée This wine, produced in a limited run of 2,500 bottles, opens with delicate floral notes, aromas of peony, spice, and violets. The palate is concentrated, with very elegant, silky tannins. A wine that blends freshness, density, and character, with clear aging potential.

Good ponds grand cru 2022 (€325) – 96

This large cuvée emblematic of domaine It reveals an intense garnet robe with violet highlights. The nose is precise and complex, enveloped by subtle oak. The palate is structured and full, where complexity meets elegance with refined, silky tannins. A wine of great class and excellent aging potential.

Chambolle- musigny Véroilles 2022 – 91

A delicate, medium-intensity, elegant nose. Precise aromas of fresh black fruit, complemented by a light touch of licorice/toast. A structured palate with integrated oak, a juicy texture, and a finish of ripe black fruit.

Christian Clerget – BIO

21640 Vougeot – Tel. 03 80 62 87 37

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Charms 2022 – 93

Deep garnet in color. A fragrant nose expressing a concentrated aroma of black fruits: blackberries, blueberries… A structured palate with well-integrated, elegant tannins. The overall impression is tender, fleshy, and refined, with all the qualities needed for excellent aging.

Chambolle- musigny At the Crosses 2022 – 86

musigny 2022 – 85

Digioia-Royer

21220 Chambolle- Musigny – Tel. 03 80 61 49 58

Chambolle- musigny Fremières old vines 2022 (€55) -93

The wine comes from vines with an average age of 90 years. Discreet, complex aromas of red and black fruits and mocha. Beautiful texture on the palate, concentrated, full, still firm, but the wine has potential.

Maison Joseph Drouhin

21200 Beaune – Tel. 03 80 24 68 88

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Amoureuses 2022 (€788) – 92 Organic Wine

There maison Drouhin cultivates 100 hectares in Burgundy, more than 90 appellations, and its cuvée Des Amoureuses remains one of its "totems". Brilliant garnet robe. Tender, sweet nose of flowers, spices, toast... Dense, smooth, silky and harmonious palate.

Domaine Feeling

21220 Chambolle- Musigny – Tel. 03 80 62 85 09

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Feusselottes 2022 – 96

This cuvée It has an intense color with purplish highlights. The rich nose reveals aromas of black fruit, spices, and subtle oak. A superb, concentrated, fleshy, vibrant, and well-structured palate with a touch of salinity on the finish.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Charms 2022 – 95

Deep, intense garnet robe. Elegant, precise nose, fragrant with sweet fruity and floral notes. A pleasant, silky, rich palate with "sweet" tannins, beautiful harmony, and generous, ripe, and luscious fruit.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru At the Exchanges 2022 – 92

An intense nose with aromas of black fruit, pleasant, integrated oak, and spicy notes. The palate is rich, luscious, silky, and structured with a lovely length and well-integrated, high-quality tannins.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The 4 Climates 2022 – 91

Beautiful dark robe. The nose evokes blood orange, spicy notes, all enveloped by a subtle oakiness. Beautifully concentrated palate, with generous dark fruit and fine tannins.

Chambolle- musigny Clos of Village 2022 – 91

Intense ruby to garnet color. A bright, delicate nose, a blend of fruit, flowers and toast, lingering oaky notes. Smooth, sweet, delightfully fruity and dynamic on the palate. The tannins still need to blend in with time but the potential is there.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru At Combottes 2022 – 90

Deep garnet robe. Aromas of mocha, spices, flowers… Fresh palate, with fine tannins, a dense, supple and elegant texture.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Gruenchers 2022 – 89

Deep purple in color. Aromas of raspberries and cherries… The wine is concentrated, full-bodied, with silky black fruit notes. The oak needs to integrate, but the wine has potential.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Careers 2022 – 87

Chambolle- musigny old vines 2022 – 87

Michel Gros

21700 Vosne-Romanée – Tel. 03 80 61 04 69

musigny 2022 – 89

Intense garnet robe. Nose of red fruits and flowers: violets, peonies… The wine is well-balanced on the palate with silky tannins and beautiful aromatic complexity. A luscious, round, and elegant wine.

Antonin Guyon – BIO

21420 Savigny -THE- Beaune – Tel. 03 80 67 13 24

Chambolle- musigny Les Cras 2022 – 85

SAS Dom. Laurent

True to his principles

We had somewhat lost sight of Dominique Laurent, who had been much talked about in the mid-1990s with his technique of 200% elevage in new barrels: the wines were racked from their new barrel after malolactic fermentation and returned to another new barrel. “I probably didn't explain well at the time, but the idea was not to over-mature the wines, especially not. The level of red wines was not the same as it is today. I was looking, and still am looking, especially through long aging in barrels with lots of fine lees, to reveal the terroirs and rediscover the taste of yesteryear of the great wines of Burgundy. The lees are the DNA of the wine, the mother and her child that must not be separated, and our vintages remain on their lees until the last moment, when they are briefly blended before bottling. The difference is that today 200% is virtually no longer the case in the cellar,” assures Dominique Laurent. We should add that a large tasting of the excellent wines from the 2023 vintage in barrels clearly highlighted all the house's know-how in terms of maturing. Today, Dominique Laurent's activities involve the trading house (100% of wine purchases from often long-standing suppliers), a ten-hectare estate (eight of which he owns) and a cooperage that produces an average of 1,000 barrels per year, 20% of which are used internally. The work is a family affair: Jean, the son, manages the estate, Marie, his sister, manages the business, and Dominique Laurent is retired... officially.

21640 Gilly-les-Cîteaux – Tel. 03 80 61 49 94

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Charmes 2022 (€100) – 92

THE domaine family-run, located in the heart of the Côte de Nuits The estate cultivates 60-year-old vines in Les Charmes. This vintage reveals a deep, dark color. The nose is refined and spicy, with aromas of cocoa bean and dark fruit. The palate offers a beautiful, powerful, and fleshy texture, with elegant tannins.

Good ponds grand cru 2022 – 91

Floral and spicy nose… Silky, dense, and pleasant on the palate, where floral notes dominate. The wine is already very approachable, but also shows great potential. Promising!

Domaine Laurent – ​​BIO

21640 Flagey-Echézeaux – Tel. 06 10 04 02 91

Chambolle- musigny Combe D'orveaux 2022 – 90

The nose is fragrant with red and black fruits, raspberries, cherries… and spices. The palate is wonderfully fruity, full-bodied, smooth and elegant.

Hubert Lignier – BIO

21220 Morey-Saint-Denis – Tel. 03 80 51 87 40

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Baudes 2022 – 93

Intense garnet robe with purplish reflections. A ripe nose dominated by red fruits with a touch of wood, toast, and spice. The palate is dense, vibrant, juicy, and long, with beautiful tannins and a "sweet" fruitiness that lends it a touch of smoothness.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Chabiots 2022 –

Chambolle- musigny Bussières 2022 – 87

Frédéric Magnien – BIO

Pioneer

Frédéric Magnien is what you might call a "pioneer" in many respects. First and foremost, organic: the Michel Magnien family estate (eighteen hectares) and the Frédéric Magnien trading business (priority is given to the purchase of organic grapes) have been certified since 2009, and over forty hectares are now cultivated biodynamically. He wasn't the first to take this path, but there weren't that many fifteen years ago. Frédéric Magnien is also a forerunner in the use of alternative containers to oak, in this case ceramic. "I became involved in organic winegrowing at the end of the 2000s, with a view to rediscovering the taste of pre-chemical Burgundy wines, so I didn't want to use oak barrels to flavor my wines. So I decided to completely eliminate new wood. Today, I have over 300 amphorae, ranging from 160 to 1,600 liters, to vinify and/or age my wines, generally 50% in amphorae and 50% in aged barrels and demi-muids, and some small cuvées even see only amphorae". The 2022 Chambolles seduced our tasters with their originality and purity of taste, and the tasting at the estate of some older vintages, Chambolle-Musigny premiers crus Borniques 2017 and Sentiers 2016, demonstrated that the use of amphora can be perfectly synonymous with harmonious aging of wines.

21220 Morey-Saint-Denis – Tel. 03 80 58 54 20

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Baudes 2022 (€145) – 93

This wine, made from vines over 50 years old, offers a nose of peonies, menthol, and red fruits. The palate reveals a beautiful floral attack, full-bodied, with a touch of sweetness, aromas of raspberries, and great elegance.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Baudes 2021 (€145) – 89

Intense ruby ​​robe. Open, refined nose with notes of red fruit and a touch of spice/toast. Lively, balanced palate with crisp fruit. A good, fresh, elegant wine with quality tannins and good length for 2021.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Borniques (€145) – 85

Michel Magnien – BIO

21220 Morey-Saint-Denis – Tel. 03 80 51 82 98

Chambolle- musigny Les Argillières 2022 (€82) – 91

Deep, purplish robe. A very open nose with notes of flowers (violets, roses) and red fruits. A balanced, delicious, pure, long and elegant palate.

Chambolle- musigny Les Fremières 2022 (€82) – 91

A precise, deep nose with notes of black fruit and spice. The palate offers pure, precise fruitiness with a rich texture. An elegant, restrained, and very harmonious wine with great potential.

Thierry Mortet

21220 Gevrey-Chambertin – Tel. 03 80 51 85 07

Chambolle- musigny 2022 (€53) – 91

Purplish robe. Aromas of ripe black fruits. Fleshy, full-bodied, tender and harmonious palate.

Georges Mugneret-Gibourg

21700 Vosne-Romanée – Tel. 03 80 61 01 57

The best bottle

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Feusselottes 2022 – 97

Beautiful, brilliant garnet robe. The nose is explosive, combining fresh fruity notes of raspberries and floral aromas of peonies. On the palate, a lovely wine expresses itself with great aromatic precision. The texture is rich, elegant, seductive, pure, and refined.

Manuel Olivier

21700 Concoeur et Corboin – Tel. 03 80 62 39 33

Chambolle- musigny 2022 (€70) – 89

The attack opens with notes of black fruit accompanied by aromas of blood orange, peonies and violets. The palate is both "sweet" and fresh, with a lovely volume.

Michèle and Patrice Rion – BIO

21700 Premeaux-Prissey – Tel. 03 80 62 32 63

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Charms 2022 – 94

Made from vines over 90 years old, this cuvée It reveals a brilliant garnet robe. The nose is refined, rich, and complex with delicate and "sweet" aromas of ripe black fruit. Superbly full-bodied, round, and silky on the palate, with a finish of soft, licorice-tinged tannins.

Chambolle- musigny Les Cras 2022 – 87

Anne and Hervé Sigaut

21220 Chambolle- Musigny – Tel. 03 80 62 80 28

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Chatelots 2022 – 94

Beautiful, brilliant garnet robe. A smooth, floral and sweet nose, complemented by notes of cocoa beans. On the palate, the wine is rich, full-bodied, structured, and very promising.

Chambolle- musigny Behind the Oven 2022 – 93

Intense, dark robe. An open, expressive nose with sweet notes of cocoa, cherries, and a touch of sugared strawberries. The palate is rich, concentrated, silky, elegant, and harmonious.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Trails 2021 – 92

A nose of good intensity, fresh, with aromas of black fruit and spices. A dense, balanced, precise, and long palate with lovely energy and potential.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Rockets 2022 – 92

Intense, purplish robe. The nose is still a little reserved, soft, but revealing notes of small red fruits and elegant oak. The palate is lively, round, very pleasant, complex, long and luscious.

Chambolle- musigny Les Babillères 2022 – 91

Intense, purplish robe. A nose of fruit: wild strawberries, cherries… and spicy notes of grey pepper. On the palate, the structure is fine with pronounced fruitiness, "sweet" tannins and a beautiful balance.

Chambolle- musigny premier cru Les Noirots 2022 – 87

Chambolle- musigny premier cru The Trails 2022 – 87

Chambolle- musigny Les Bussières 2022 – 87

Chambolle- musigny Les Bussières 2021 – 85

Domaine Truchetet

21700 Premeaux-Prissey – Tel. 06 25 85 03 39

musigny 2022 – 92

In 2019, the family estate was taken over by Morgan and Julie Truchetet and Pauline Genot. In 2022, they sign a Chambolle with a complex, rich nose of flowers, raspberries, cherries... The palate is delicious, juicy. An elegant, fine and accessible wine.

Christophe TUPINIER

Publishing Director