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Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Monopole - Clos de la Maréchale, Premier Cru

Burgundy, France 2009 (750mL)
$110.00
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Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Monopole - Clos de la Maréchale, Premier Cru

A few weeks ago I was touring an importer’s warehouse and I stopped in my tracks upon seeing a small stack of wooden boxes containing some 2009 “Clos de la Maréchale” from the great Frédéric Mugnier. Given what we all know about this vintage I assumed it would be quite generous, even voluptuous, at this point—something I confirmed by drinking it at dinner a few nights ago before buying as much as I could for our top customers.
The wine was one of the greatest ‘09s I’ve ever had (nearly on par with DRC’s 09 Richebourg). The wine had an incredibly complex perfume and fruit on par with Burgundy’s greatest red producers. One whiff and time stops—this is as perfect as one could hope for.
The Mugnier property, based in Chambolle-Musigny, has been in the family since the 1880s, and the Premier Cru “Clos de la Maréchale” vineyard since 1902 (Mugnier also owns a sizeable piece of the Grand Cru “Le Musigny”). Most of the domaine’s vineyards were leased to others until fifth-generation proprietor Frédéric Mugnier took over in 1985. Clos de la Maréchale had been leased to the large négociant Faively since the 1950s, but Frédéric reclaimed it for the Mugniers in 2004 (increasing the size of the domaine from 4 to 14 hectares in the process). At a little over nine hectares in size, and planted to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the beautifully positioned Clos de la Maréchale is the crown jewel of the estate and the largest ‘monopole’ (single-owner vineyard) in Burgundy. 

Frédéric Mugnier had been an oil engineer in the Middle East, and later a commercial airline pilot, before returning to the family wine estate. His is a thoughtful, low-intervention approach in both the vineyards and cellar; farming is carried out sustainably—almost fully organic at this point—and his use of new oak for aging maxes out at around 25% for the higher-end bottlings. The ‘house style’ is very understated and refined: Mugnier’s wines are 100% de-stemmed before fermentation, lending them great purity of fruit and supple textures, and the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

This 2009 displays a highly concentrated ruby-red core with pink and a hint of orange the rim. Mugnier’s signature lush and highly perfumed aromatics of wild strawberry, blackberry and black cherry mingle with dried wild mushrooms, hibiscus, forest floor, aged black tea, and crushed stones. The plush yet balanced palate confirms the nose, delivering sweet fruit and layers of complexity with a long, aromatic finish. As is the case with many 2009s, this is quite drinkable now: decant it about an hour before serving around 65 degrees in Burgundy stems. While I can see it continuing to age gracefully for at least 5-10 years more if kept well, its combination of accessible price and drinkability is kind of irresistible now. It will probably truly peak between 2020-2025, perhaps longer if kept absolutely perfectly. This wine would make a spicy, deeply flavored companion for some Peking Duck, be it as BYOB or alongside this homemade version.
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceNuits-Saint-Georges - Premier Cru
Soil
Limestone and Clay
Farming
Organic
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
25% New French
TEMP.
65
Glassware
Burgundy
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
60 Minutes
Pairing
Peking Duck

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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