Charmes-Chambertin: The site is history-rich, the name drips with royalty, its wines are renowned for their power and intensity…the list is unending, but the number of producers worthy of your attention is not. Chambertin proper and its surrounding Grand Crus yield mesmerizing Pinot Noirs of muscle and complexity that few consumers ever get to experience, so when the opportunity arises to get your hands on a bottle, it better be one worth remembering—Frédéric Magnien ensures that his portrayal will be.
A burgeoning name that has introduced trendsetting techniques and garnered international attention, Magnien delivered a transcendent 2016 from the lauded
lieu-dit within Charmes-Chambertin called “Aux Charmes.” This is the ultra-special northern portion of the vineyard that directly abuts “Chambertin,” and Magnien’s tiny selection hails from Certified Organic vines that are passing the 100-year mark. As with most Grand Crus on the market, quantities are limited, but this is severely so: For 2016, their importer only received 10 cases, so just imagine what little was provided to us. In order to encourage cellaring—while risking a quicker sellout—we are offering up to three bottles per person today. If you want to hear a room erupt, Frédéric Magnien’s “Aux Charmes” will single-handedly do it. I always encourage everyone to show humility when sharing wine, but with this five-star stunner, it’s hard not to present it with an air of swagger.
Burgundy lovers are conditioned to distinguish between ‘négociant’ (i.e. ‘merchant’) bottlers of wine and ‘domaine’ (i.e. ‘estate’) bottlers. A négociant purchases fruit (or juice, or even finished wine on occasion) from individual growers and then crafts/finishes/bottles it under his name, whereas the domaine bottler grows, makes, and markets everything himself. Some might be inclined to make qualitative distinctions between the two, but increasingly, the modern négociant is every bit as hands-on, and intimately connected to his source material, as any individual domaine. Exhibit A is Frédéric, or “Fred,” Magnien, an innovative, impassioned, fifth-generation vigneron who personifies the term “micro-négociant” (a designation of relatively recent coinage). He works closely with growers, many of whom he’s known since childhood, to produce exceptionally pure expressions of some of Burgundy’s greatest vineyards. The roster of wines now produced under the Magnien label is extremely long and diverse, stretching the length of the Côte d’Or and reaching up into Chablis as well. One thing is clear, however: His focus on natural farming and unmanipulated winemaking shines brilliantly in the final product.
In recent years, as he has embraced organic and biodynamic practices, his work in the cellar has evolved: Wines have long been fermented with a percentage of whole clusters intact, and only on indigenous yeasts, but starting with the 2015 vintage, Magnien began aging some of his wines in a mixture of used oak barrels and terra cotta amphorae, or jarres, explaining that “[the] mix of the two wine ageings unveil the brightness and clarity of wine thanks to the jar, while keeping its complexity and length thanks to the traditional cask.” While I was visiting, we did a tasting of both vessels, and it was mind-boggling that both samples on their own were great, but when blended together, created magic. Had I not been there, I would have never believed it. Today’s “Aux Charmes” comes from a microscopic selection of ancient, east facing vines—a minimum 80 years old, with many exceeding the century mark—that border one of Burgundy’s most celebrated Grand Crus: Chambertin. Magnien’s own team looks after the vines during the year and hand picks the crop come harvest. In the winery, he employs the above-mentioned methods: A partial whole-cluster (67%) fermentation via ambient yeasts, aging in 55% neutral barrels and 45% amphorae, and bottling without fining or filtration.
Like planting a flag on the moon, Magnien’s 2016 Charmes-Chambertin “Aux Charmes” proudly marks its territory in the glass with a deep ruby color moving to a pink-hued rim, and an explosive nose of ripe, wild berries, savory spice, red and black licorice, just-picked plums, black raspberry, Bing cherries, wild flowers, underbrush, crushed stones, and a hint of bergamot oil. Nearly full-bodied and blessed with the most fine-grained of tannins, it evokes “Beauty and the Beast” with its polished flair and slow-building, brawny power. It’s intensely complex, overflowing with piquant red berry fruit and rock minerality that guide it toward an astounding grand finale that ceaselessly lingers. A suave wine if there ever was one, Magnien’s 2016 “Aux Charmes” is both a paragon of polished power and trendsetting red Burgundy; to achieve both at such an elite level is nothing short of remarkable. Open one now after a 1-2 hour decant and enjoy its evolution over the course of an evening beside a medium-rare duck breast with wild mushrooms. As for your remainders—hide them away, drinking one 5-7 years from now and the last around its 15th birthday. It’s a huge commitment, but one that will pay off when that time does finally arrive. Cheers!
