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Domaine Michel Magnien, Clos St Denis Grand Cru

Burgundy, France 2017 (750mL)
$250.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
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Alcohol

Domaine Michel Magnien, Clos St Denis Grand Cru

Straight out of the “looks can be deceiving” department, today’s mesmerizing red Burgundy had me demanding answers: How can a wine carrying only a Morey-Saint-Denis “village” designation be so profound? Yes, the generous 2017 vintage offers one hint, as does the name Magnien, but, this being Burgundy, I knew there had to be some serious vineyard real estate represented as well. And, yes, there is: a quartet of prime sites just below Morey-Saint-Denis’ band of Premier Crus, each one farmed biodynamically by rising-star vigneron Frédéric Magnien and family.
Close readers of SommSelect will recognize Frédéric as the proprietor of one of the most dynamic micro-négociant labels in Burgundy, but Domaine Michel Magnien, so named for his father, is where it all began. Since Frédéric first joined his family estate in 1993, he has helped propel it to new heights of quality and acclaim, chiefly by focusing on sustainable farming. Working side-by-side with his parents—while simultaneously developing an extensive grower network for his own, eponymous maison—Frédéric has helped make Domaine Michel Magnien a serious player in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, with 18 hectares of Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards spread across 23 appellations. Qualitatively, I’d place today’s 2017 wine firmly in Premier Cru territory, which, when you learn a little more about its vineyard sources, makes perfect sense. In fact, everything about this wine is spot on: its Morey-Saint-Denis typicity, its remarkable purity, and its (pleasantly) surprising price.
The conventional wisdom on the wines of Morey-Saint-Denis is that they combine the structure and depth of Gevrey-Chambertin with the elegance and perfume of Chambolle-Musigny. In this regard, today’s 2017 is textbook Morey-Saint-Denis—high-toned and beautifully perfumed, plush in texture, but possessed of enough underlying structure for aging. This is a wine we all kept returning to again and again, and each time it seemed to reveal something new.

Its four vineyard sources are clustered on either side of Burgundy’s famed RN74 motorway, downslope from Morey’s Premier and Grand Crus. One of these lieu-dits, “Les Chenevery,” contains a portion classified as Premier Cru, while right next door is “Clos Solon,” a site also farmed by blue-chip producers such as Domaine Fourrier and Domaine Arlaud. Rounding out the list are the “Les Crais” and “Les Cognées” vineyards, which, with their heavier clay soils, produce wines with a little more breadth and texture on the palate. 

Starting with this biodynamically farmed source material, Frédéric’s approach in the cellar is to emphasize fruit purity and terroir above all else. Over the years, he has all but eliminated the use of new oak and has incorporated some clay amphorae into his aging regimen; for today’s wine, he used a combination of used French oak pièces (228 liters) and amphorae, resulting in a style characterized by bright red and black fruit, delicate minerality, and beautifully refined tannins. In the glass, the classic color starts with a moderate ruby core before moving into slight pink and garnet hues on the rim. The nose is intensely and invitingly aromatic, with classic Morey-Saint-Denis notes of wild strawberries, blood orange, pomegranate and fresh rose petals. The elegant palate moves quickly from sweet fruit to underbrush and crushed-rock earth tones. It finishes long, with mouth-watering bite of minerality and lots of florals—decant it about 30 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems and you’ll find it very difficult to stay away from any remaining bottles, even though this promises to peak around its 6th or 7th birthday. It really is impressive and demands a pairing to match: Next time you’re feeling fancy, give the attached fine-dining classic a try—and let me know what time to be there! Cheers!
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceMorey-Saint-Denis
Soil
Limestone & Clay
Farming
Certified Biodynamic
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
Used French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
30-60 Minutes
Pairing
Duck a l'Orange

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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