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Frédéric Magnien, Bonnes-Mares, Grand Cru

Burgundy, France 2014 (750mL)
$195.00
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Frédéric Magnien, Bonnes-Mares, Grand Cru

This offer comes with a caveat: We have so little of this wine that I’m reluctant to wax too rhapsodic about it, lest I anger those who don’t get to it quickly enough. But I can’t help myself. Frédéric Magnien’s 2014 Bonnes-Mares is as ‘bespoke’ as red Burgundy gets, but, relatively speaking, still carries an off-the-rack price tag.
Having established a reputation as a négociant (merchant) producer who goes the extra mile—working closely with his grower-suppliers throughout the season and sending his own picking teams out during harvest—Magnien has assembled a treasure trove of top vineyard holdings throughout Burgundy. Bonnes-Mares, of course, needs no introduction: It is the source of some of the deepest, most profound Pinot Noir on earth, and in a superior red wine vintage like 2014, is simply one of the surest bets in the world of wine. If you are receiving this email you are among our very top customers—for that we thank you, and apologize for only making two bottles of this wine available per customer today. I assure you we’ll keep searching for more like this one, and you’ll be the first to hear about it!
Frédéric “Fred” Magnien is no neophyte; he’s a fifth-generation vigneron from Morey-St-Denis who learned his craft from his father, Michel (Domaine Michel Magnien), before traveling the world to gather further winemaking experience and perspective. He established his maison in Morey-St-Denis in 1995, establishing connections with vineyards and growers he’d known since childhood. If you’re looking for a ‘one-stop-shop’ for a complete Burgundy education, this is a house to seek out.

The 15-hectare Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is in the village of Chambolle-Musigny, with a tiny portion of it spilling over into neighboring Morey-St-Denis. Split among some 30 different owners, it sits at about 300 meters elevation, with a very thin, pebbly clay/flint topsoil over a dense limestone base. Planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, it is known for dark, densely concentrated reds, especially at the northern, “Morey” end of the vineyard—which is where Magnien’s 40-60-year-old vines are situated. All of the growers Magnien works with are either certified organic or in the process of “conversion,” and of course this one is no exception: the plot borders the “Clos de Tart” Grand Cru in Morey-St-Denis, with soils of iron-rich red clay and limestone. Grapes for Magnien’s Bonnes-Mares are hand-harvested, fermented on native yeasts, and aged in mostly used barrels from the François Frères cooperage (Premier and Grand Cru wines generally see about 10% new oak). Partial “whole cluster” fermentation is also employed, lending the wines structure and freshness.

And it takes but one whiff to recognize that this 2014 is serious: In the glass, it’s a deep, brilliant ruby extending all the way to the rim, with aromas of dark wild berries, black cherry, licorice, baking spices, underbrush, and crushed stones. Nearly full-bodied and blessed with the most fine-grained of tannins and beautiful balancing freshness, this wine leaves no doubt as to its impeccable pedigree. If you can’t wait to open one, decant 30-60 minutes before serving in your best Burgundy stems at 65 degrees. Otherwise, squirrel it away and re-visit on its 8-10th birthday, when it promises to be downright explosive. Whenever you enjoy it, pair it with something appropriately grand, like the attached recipe for crown roast of pork. This is as elite as red Burgundy gets, without the punishing tariff. Enjoy!
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceBonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Soil
Limestone and Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
Mostly Neutral French
TEMP.
65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
30-60 Minutes
Pairing
Pork Crown Roast

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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