When it comes to Burgundy, “some like it hot,” but most gentlefolk prefer the precision, finesse, and generally unparalleled pedigree of Puligny-Montrachet. Indeed the Grand Cru vineyards that lend this famous little winemaking village its name are widely considered to be the finest expressions of Chardonnay, and likely white wine writ large, on the planet. This is a heaven on earth for wine lovers, where even the “average” bottles are pretty dang good. But Frédéric Magnien doesn’t do average: he only does phenomenal, always striving for perfect balance and a purity of terroir. He starts with pristine fruit from a single vineyard that is Certified Organic, and then uses his decades of experience in the cellar to craft a soaring, revelatory expression of Puligny-Montrachet. It isn’t a “cheap” Chardonnay by any means, but when you consider everything that goes into this bottle it is a truly exceptional value. Don’t miss out.
Having grown up riding his bike through the vineyards of Morey-Saint-Denis, and having learned his craft from his father, Michel (Domaine Michel Magnien), Frédéric or “Fred” has assembled an enviable roster of grower-partners, all of them either Certified Organic or in the process of conversion. He works closely with these growers, many of whom he’s known since childhood, to produce exceptionally pure expressions of some of Burgundy’s greatest vineyards. Magnien founded his maison in 1995, following an extended period of travel to other great wine regions of the world. 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. All the wines display the kind of precision that comes from careful, hands-on fruit sourcing, and there’s no doubt that Magnien considers himself a vigneron first and a winemaker second.
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—including today’s—in a mixture of used French oak and terra cotta amphorae, or jarres. He explains 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.” Indeed he is so enamored with the results of amphora aging that he has continued to increase the percentages he uses to the point that some of his cuvées are now done entirely in clay pots.
“Meix” is an old Burgundian dialect for a collection of small buildings adjacent to a farm or garden. In this case the gardens are vineyards, and “Meix” sits just below the Premier Crus of “Clos de Meix” and “Pucelles,” which is also a literal stone’s throw from the Montrachet Grand Crus. Indeed, perhaps the most lauded Premier Cru of Puligny is the “Pucelles” bottling from Domaine Leflaive, and it is no exaggeration to say that Magnien’s “Meix” shares many similarities, minus the overt oak spice and the four digit price tag!
Serve this showpiece Chardonnay in a large Burgundy bowl at cool 50-55 degrees. It’s super important not to pour it right out of the fridge, instead decant it for about half an hour and let the temperature rise a bit so that the full intensity of aromas and the luxurious texture can be on full display. Aromas of fresh cut pineapple, white peach, lemon curd, cracked walnuts, oyster shells, chervil, thyme, fennel, and citrus blossoms all mingle over top a sappy, medium weight texture that culminates in a super long, mineral drenched finish. Pair with a decadent seafood dish like the butter poached lobster below, and prepare for an evening of culinary fireworks!
