Peruse the wine lists of the world's top Michelin-starred restaurants and you’ll see verticals that will cause any connoisseur swoon: DRC, Chave, Latour, Gaja, Vega Sicilia—we’re talking the finest, most sought-after wines in existence. But open up one of those lists in France, and you may discover Louis Magnin’s rapturous, long-aged “Tout un Monde” rarity. There’s a reason Bettane & Desseauve nominated Domaine Louis Magnin as one of “the world’s greatest wines”—they represent the pinnacle of Mondeuse and fine French reds, and their 2014 “Tout un Monde” has left a hauntingly savory and indelible impression on us all.
This extraordinarily rare flagship cuvée is born from a low-yielding, .7-hectare, Certified Organic parcel of Mondeuse planted by the Louis Magnin over 109 years ago, and when combined with old-school winemaking and an incredibly long cellar aging, it becomes one of France’s most hypnotizing and soul-stirring reds. Because no more than 200 cases can be produced in any given year, and only a fraction of that makes it into America, we had to do things differently this time around to ensure a small offering: Today’s smoking 2014 is only available as a pre-offer and will be arriving at our warehouse on September 6th. Up to six bottles per person.
Founded by namesake Louis Magnin in the late 1800s, Domaine Louis Magnin is now run by his grandson, also named Louis, and his wife Béatrice, in the famed Arbin cru of Savoie. In a refreshing role reversal, you’ll find Louis buried in the cellar and Béatrice actively tending to their eight hectares of vines who was comically quoted in a GuildSomm article saying, “Better my husband stays in the winery, where he just watches and doesn’t touch anything.” Really, “land first” is the motto here, especially with today’s top-of-the-line cuvée: “Tout un Monde” comes from a sliver of 100+-year-old vines (planted by the “original” Louis Magnin). With such precious and rare real estate, they want these gnarled Mondeuse trunks to express themselves naturally, which is why they farm them 100% organically, with meticulous biodynamic practices.
When it comes time for harvest, yields are absurdly low: just 15hl/ha for these ancient vines—compare that to Grand Cru Burgundy which allows up to 35! The grapes are picked by hand, de-stemmed, and transferred into stainless steel vats. After a multi-week, ambient-yeast fermentation, the wine is moved to old demi-muids (500-liter French barrels) for 18 months. They then allow it to mature in bottle for several years before release.
A little more on Mondeuse: This is the mountain cousin of Northern Rhône Syrah—literally, in the sense that DNA analysis has linked it to Syrah and figuratively because it’s been cultivated in the mountainous region of Savoie for centuries. Ancient Gallic tribes first planted it prior to Roman invasion, and the vines survived long after they were gone. Columella, the famous Roman writer on the topic of farming, referred to it as “the grape variety that ripens amidst the snow,” and its nickname maldoux (“bittersweet”) appears in texts as early as 1731.
Over the past few years, we’ve been fortunate to experience our own little “vertical” of Tout un Monde: The ’09-’12 vintages, and now today’s newest 2014. We’ve discovered that these rare gems drink like a Côte-Rôtie gone wild, erupting with mountain berries and a strikingly rustic character, but ultimately, these ancient-vine Mondeuse bottlings are one of a kind. Furthermore, for all of the wine’s brooding flavors and subtle power, it comes in at just 12% ABV which is yet another reason we’re obsessed with it. Given at least 60 minutes to blossom in a decanter, aromas funnel out of a Burgundy stem with ferocity: dried violet and herbs, black cherry, mulberries, black raspberry, crushed rock, struck match, cracked pepper, leather, and underbrush. This is a deceptively structured red that fills the palate with savory, dark-fruited intensity before delivering a lengthy, mineral-studded finish. We’ve learned that it’s best to track these wines as long as possible—three days isn’t out of the question—so be sure to enjoy them slowly. As for your unopened bottles, store them in a dark, cool place for consumption over the next 7-10 years. Cheers!
