On Jacques Frederic Mugnier and Musigny

Edouard Bourgeois

May 10, 2024

The wines from Domaine JF Mugnier never cease to amaze me.

A couple weeks ago I was lucky to taste mind-blowing wines from the legendary estate during two different occasions. The mind behind the success of the domaine is Frédéric Mugnier, who took over the reins in 1985. While still an airline pilot at the time, “Freddy” started making wines that quickly became known as a reference in Chambolle-Musigny and later Nuits-st-Georges when the estate grew from about 4 hectares to roughly 15 with the addition of Clos de la Maréchale.

During our exceptional Pressoir Musigny Dinner, we were lucky to taste four vintages of Mugnier Musigny from 2006, 2005, 1999 and 1988!

Domaine JF Mugnier was founded in 1863 and has had holdings in the Musigny appellation since 1892. With a bit over one hectare in Musigny, it makes Mugnier the second largest owner of Musigny after the giant Comte Georges de Vogué. The Mugnier plot was planted in 1948 and 1962. Fred made an experiment in the late 1980’s with a separate cuvée vieilles vignes from the 1948 vines but felt that neither version of 1989 was as good as the blend from the whole holding.

Here are some of my impressions on the wines tasted:

And some Drouhin too! These were also phenomenal

2006: This is among my least favorite Burgundy vintages of the decade. But Mugnier managed to produce a very compelling and delicious wine from that difficult year. Still very young, I was enchanted by the dual personality of the wine, being juicy while suggesting concentrated and slightly “raisiny” aromas.

2005: Unsurprisingly explosive. 05 is always a powerhouse. Here the red cherries dominated and this baby monster will continue to grow for many decades.

1999: I found similarities with 2006 with that same density but a few more years gave this 99 a more ethereal character. Stunning bottle.

1988: I am still a bit puzzled with this bottle which at first showed a very intense nose. It was irresistible for a while but showed signs of fatigue in the glass after a couple hours, revealing more dry rusticity. Nevertheless, an immense source of pleasure and a more meditative experience perhaps.

Mugnier’s Musigny is simply magical and its Grand Cru status undisputable. Even in the so-called “off vintages”, Fred’s wines shine. This is also true for Musigny’s little sister, the majestic Premier Cru “Amoureuses”. This neighboring climat is another exceptionally fine wine. I tasted his Amoureuses from the polarizing and bizarre 2003 vintage, a year marked by scorching heat waves. After too many disappointments from other wines made that year, I have made it a habit to simply avoid anything 2003. But I was glad to revisit it with a wonderful bottle of Amoureuses from that year. I was so impressed by the freshness that remained, clearly not the usual descriptor for 2003. At Mugnier’s, the harvest started on September 1st because, and I quote Fred Mugnier himself: “August is for vacation!” The palate showed a bit more of the heat, a characteristic of the vintage, but through an intense dried flower intriguing aroma.

Great food too at Jean-George’s newest restaurant FourTwentyFive

Nuits st Georges Clos de la Marechale Blanc 2017

I don’t taste the white Marechale often because there is not that much made. The clos has always produced more red than white wines and for a while, exclusively red. Chardonnay was replanted again for the 2004 harvest. This 2017 had the beautiful texture of a white Nuits-st-Georges but plenty of freshness. So unique and beautiful!

Marechale 2022 and 2010 :

It is amazing to taste these side by side. While the 2022 will need a few more years to digest the oak, it already showed splendid vivacity. Mugnier compares it to “2020, but more approachable, and not too bad after all!”. Note that 2022 was one the five hottest vintages since 1893!

The 2010 Marechale was stunning. “One of the best imperfect vintages” according to Fred. That’s the thing I like about his approach to what some call the good and the bad vintages. When defining the universally lauded 2005 vintage, Mugnier qualifies it as “boringly perfect” while the 2010 was “charmingly imperfect”. This totally resonates with me!

Chambolle Musigny 2017

This early vintage is described as “joyful” at Mugnier’s. This cuvée has been a blend since 1985 of the Chambolle 1er Cru “Les Plantes” as well as a parcel in the combe d’Orveau, ranked at the village level. Pure pleasure.

Musigny 2008 A show-stopper. Fred Mugnier strongly believes that wine should age. That’s why he decided to hold his Musigny a few extra years before releasing them to the market, adding much anticipation among consumers! The current release is 2016…

Amazing lunch with François Moriamez, Fred Mugnier’s right arm

A YEAR OF WINE - THE PRESSOIR.WINE TEAM MEMBERS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE MOMENT

2022 was filled with quaffable Beaujolais, sharp edged Blanc de Blancs, minerally driven Meursaults, perfumed Musignys and brooding Hermitages. Read below about the wines that left particularly strong impressions on each of us.

Raj - DOMAINE DE LA ROMANÉE CONTI MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2003

I am a pretty lucky guy and get to taste so many great bottles in this line of work, but often the most memorable bottles are those experiences which surprise me a bit. We hosted a spectacular Domaine de la Romanée-Conti dinner in October and the only wine which I was less than thrilled about turned out to be the most memorable bottle of the year!

DRC’s 2003 reds are very much marked by the vintage; they can be a tad clumsy, four square even. But I had very little experience with the Montrachet prior to this bottle, and so I had presumed it would behave the same. I was quite wrong as it turned out. The aromas suggested little evidence of that cooked fruit or caramel nut character that is common in less grand 03 whites, and instead had a floral note I did not find super typical of DRC’s Monty. The palate had tremendous energy and freshness, downright zippy. On an evening where we had the chance to taste no less than 4 different vintages of La Tâche, and each a superlative bottle, this Montrachet reigned as the wine of the night for many.

~ Raj Vaidya

Edouard - JOSEPH DROUHIN MUSIGNY GRAND CRU 2002

On September 29th this year, we hosted a Burgundy dinner dedicated to the 2002 vintage at one of our favorite spots, Charlie Bird. Among all the gorgeous Burgundies (and Champagne in fact) we opened that night, the bottle of Musigny from Drouhin left a strong impression on me. It reminded me of a great experience I had the first time I visited Drouhin in Beaune with Veronique Drouhin, while we tasted almost the entire collection of wines made by the house. There must have been thirty wines in the lineup. We started with the regional appellations and ended up with the big guns, Clos Vougeot, Ruchottes, Griottes,  Clos de Beze, Montrachet Laguiche… And the last one, Musigny. Even after tasting so many wines and so many great wines, Musigny stood out. Drouhin produces a stellar version of that amazing Grand Cru.

Ranked as Grand Cru, the vineyard of Musigny is divided between eleven owners, with the largest one of them being Comte Georges de Vogue, who owns a whopping 70% of it.

The Musigny Grand Cru has three main sections – from the north Les Musigny or Grands Musigny – the main section. South of Les Musigny we find Les Petits Musigny – a de Vogüé monopole, and lastly we have a “recent” addition to the Musigny vineyard comprising of some plots in the climate La Combe d’Orveau (added to Musigny in 1929 and 1989)

Drouhin owns 0.6720 ha in Musigny so this is all “domaine wine” that has been in the family since the 1940’s with major additions from plots once owned by the Mugniers.
-Edouard Bourgeois

Looking back over an amazing 2022 full of fantastic wines that were shared at so many different events is part of the pleasure, remembering the wines, the moments, the people and the setting that helped make it memorable.

In October, I was in Burgundy with Daniel and Edouard on a trip visiting great wineries with a group of clients. Four days of incredible visits, conversations with winemakers and wines.

The wine that was most memorable during those days, and now stands out for me as I look back in search of the one :) was a 2012 Montrachet from Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Standing next to the vineyard with a glass in hand while Dominique, Lea and Pierre Lafon spread out through their vineyard map to show us the extent of their plot of Montrachet, it was humbling. A wine so delicious, pure, and rich that encapsulated the joy of great white Burgundy. Perfection in a glass. Nothing better.

~ Jaime Dutton

I can only agree with my colleagues Jaime, Edouard and Raj on their nominees for wines of the year. But how can one choose? We have been blessed by having a career affording us so many opportunities to taste and drink the greatest wines on the planet. How can the simple grape deliver a beverage of such sensorial pleasure and shocking intensity?

The legendary wines come with a great deal of pressure and expectation.

With that in mind, I will choose my most surprising wines of the year. It was a wine I had never heard of before and therefore had no expectations which left me with plenty of curiosity and anticipation.

While dining at one of my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam, Rotisserie Rijsel, I of course ordered the specialty, the rotisserie chicken. The restaurant, in an old school, is also known for its fantastic wine list.

“Let’s start with a crisp white”…as a big fan of Chenin Blanc, I tried to order the Richard Leroy, Les Noels de Montbenault, a sensational expression that could rival some of the very best Chenins Blancs and best white wines of France. The sommelier came back apologizing, the last bottle was just served to the table next to us but wanted to recommend another wine she was very keen on.

It was the Clos des Plantes, Whakapiripiri Mai 2020, a wine made by a young winemaker in only his third vintage. I have to admit, I am a little suspicious of taking recommendations on wines I have never heard of. But the sommelier was so engaging and knowledgeable I felt comfortable taking a chance and maybe making a discovery.

The wine was spectacular, with energetic aromas leaping from the glass. Lemon oil, pear, hay and apple. The wine was textured and juicy and kept us sipping and refreshing our palates over and over again. It was light yet intense and called for food and yet another sip.

We finished the bottle quickly and ordered a second. Turns out the table next to us had just ordered and drunk the last bottle. Again!

- Daniel Johnnes. Happy Holidays!!

The “Six Decades of Burgundy” Event will remain my most significant moment of my year 2022 because it appears to be my very first Pressoir Dinner at which I was able to discover and appreciate wines of exceptional quality.  I remember it like it was yesterday, a February evening at the Pavillon.

 I was so excited to have arrived, a few days before, in this city that never sleeps and all the surprises it was going to have in store for me… maybe too excited that evening!

 But indeed, I had no idea of ​​all that 2022 was going to bring me in terms of discovering and learning about wine (if I knew!).  And I'm extremely grateful for that.

Indeed, I started strong with this first Dinner.  From Louis Jadot, Chevalier Montrachet Demoiselles Grand Cru 1929 to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet Grand Cru 1979, including all the intermediate vintages of each decade.  How not to lose your mind?  I remember Bouchard 1961 Domaines du Château de Beaune Montrachet which is and will remain precisely my discovery of the year.  Still so fresh and powerful for its age.  Not too candied as one could have mistaken.  I did not remember having tasted such an aged Bouchard previously, but this wine brought back a lot of memories and emotions.  I think of my grandparents from Burgundy at that time. All these feelings were confirmed during each festival in which I was able to participate and help in the organization.  Notably La Paulee, a few weeks later, where I was able to discover yet another Bouchard.

How not to mention Pierre Ponnelle's Musigny 1947?  My very first Musigny.  I hope I have done honor to these wines and their winegrowers of the time because this evening was a first for me and will remain etched in my memory.  This is when I realize my luck because all the events after have only confirmed my feelings.  2022 was definitely the year of my first discoveries, my first times... and you know what? I can't wait for 2023! 

Wishing you a happy Holiday to all of you from where I am - Mexico - and may that year be rich in wine discoveries again !

Victoire Chabert

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It was a fantastic year of wine for me and the team, from the first Tablée of the year in January, through two Paulée’s in New York and Los Angeles, a summer full of amazing bottles, and then a busy fall with La Fête in Boca Raton and LA and then another Tablée back in New York. But if I have to be honest, my most memorable wine wasn’t at one of the festivals or Pressoir dinners but rather a jeroboam of Côte de Nuits Villages 2009, a gift from winemaker Didier Fornerol and his wife Marguerite, that we opened at my wedding in September.

Sitting down to a large glass of this wine while taking a break from the dance floor and inhaling the intoxicating aromas of spice and flowers was a profound experience that was greatly heightened no doubt by the intense emotions of the day. The wine had the richness and generosity of 2009, tempered by the freshness and crunchy texture of Didier’s whole cluster winemaking. Ultimately, for me, the greatest wine experiences are all about context - who you’re sharing the wine with and where - and I look back on this bottle as a reminder that even “humbler” wines can provide that magical moment in the right circumstance.

Max Goldberg Liu