When I think of Pinot Noir at its most elegant, silky, and prettily perfumed, I think of Chambolle-Musigny first. That’s the village’s calling card, and while today’s mesmerizing 2014 from Taupenot-Merme is indeed a “village” wine by designation, there is—as there so often is in Burgundy—much more than meets the eye.
Here’s why: It comes from two incredibly well-situated parcels (totaling a mere two acres) that are distinctly nuanced in their nature. The large majority of today’s wine is sourced from “Les Bussières,” which lies 800 feet downslope of Grand Cru Bonnes Mares and the remainder comes from “La Taupe”—a tiny, high-elevation lieu-dit nestled high up on the opposite end of the appellation, just several hundred feet upslope of another magnificent Grand Cru: Musigny. Even better, this 2014 is one of the best red vintages in the last decade. On the whole, this prestigious village wine is about as good as it gets—thanks in no small part to its proximity to some of the greatest Grand Cru terroirs on earth. Organically farmed and classically pure, Romain Taupenot’s philosophy of resting “in the shadow of the expression of terroir” is remarkably clear in this bottle, which is sure to enter your list of over-performing favorites. Quantity is minute, however—only six per person!
Although founded in 1963 after the union of Jean Taupenot and Denise Merme, winemaking in the Taupenot family can be traced back to the early 1700s—even later for the Merme side. At the behest of his father, Romain was beckoned back to head the domaine in 1998 after working in finance for a decade—although he made sure never to miss harvest. Taking the lessons he learned throughout his childhood and beyond, Romain preserved key philosophies and principles while improving on areas he felt were lacking. A prime example was the full conversion to organic viticulture in three short years (although he has not sought certification). Additionally, they had two wineries at the time of his takeover, which Romain quickly merged to channel all his focus and passion into one place.
Despite lieux-dits “Les Bussières” and “La Taupe” lying on opposite ends of Chambolle-Musigny (north and south, respectively) Romain’s vines from both sites are in the classic clay/limestone soils of the zone and are, on average, 40 years old. Being a staunch practitioner of organic farming, all of his grapes are harvested by hand. In the winery, ambient yeasts initiate fermentation and the wine is left largely undisturbed during its upbringing to create the purest expression of fruit. It ages on its lees for up to 15 months in ~25% new French oak and racking is avoided. Afterwards, the wine is gently transferred into steel tanks for an additional three months and finally bottled without fining or filtration.
Today’s 2014 Chambolle-Musigny from Taupenot-Merme reveals itself with a classic ruby core and hints of garnet and pink on the rim. After several vigorous swirls, the nose reveals bright aromas of ripe cherry, black raspberry, strawberry, goji, rose petals, underbrush, and a delicate touch of baking spice. The palate provides alternating lifts of red and black fruit, next to a presence of super delicate tannins and classic Chambolle elegance. This isn’t the ripe and juicy style of 2015, rather, a nod toward the terroir-driven style of classic Burgundy. For a village level wine, it outsails its neighboring constituents by miles and, in terms of cellaring, will go the distance—easily ten more years. I recommend pulling the cork midday and keeping the bottle somewhere cool before consuming over dinner in large Burgundy stems. If you have the time, wait until the start of autumn and pair with this duck confit cassoulet. Feel free to add some additional herbs to the recipe—the wine will take them in stride. Cheers!
