Masterclass on Chambolle-Musigny in Burgundy

Chambolle-Musigny

Wine from Chambolle-Musigny is often characterized by having an immensely full-bodied yet velvety elegance that can rival top Burgundy from both Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin.

There are two grand cru vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny, namely Musigny and Bonnes-Mares, and in addition, a very special 1er cru, which should have been a grand cru - the vineyard Les Amoureuses.

In total, Chambolle has 94 hectares classified as Villages, 61 hectares as Premier Cru, and 24 hectares as grand cru. The area spans a total of 7500 square kilometers.

Before we take a closer look at the three best vineyards, let's try to see what characterizes Chambolle. Often, wine from Chambolle-Musigny has a very floral scent and is on the lighter side of the red Burgundy scale. This, of course, depends on the producer, and the closer we get to Morey-Saint-Denis, which is north of the village, the more juice and power the wines gain.

The Best Vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny

There are a total of 24 premier crus in Chambolle, with the best of them being:

• Les Amoureuses

• Les Charmes

• Les Cras

• Les Fuées

• Les Véroilles

• La Combe d’Orveau

• Les Hauts Doix

Amoureuses and Charmes are close to Musigny, and Cras and Fuées are close to Bonnes-Mares. These represent two different styles, which is worth noting if you want to improve your knowledge of these microclimates.

Producers in Chambolle-Musigny

Let's take a look at some of the producers based in Chambolle-Musigny itself. Chambolle has few producers in the town as the area is quite small. Besides the producers Berthau and Cigau, Comte de Vogüé is the big mastodon with a beautiful estate located in the middle of the town. Another significant player is the producer Jacques Frederic Mugnier, located in the beautiful Chateau de Chambolle-Musigny right in the town center, opposite the excellent restaurant Le Millésime.

Both Vogüé and Mugnier produce the three major wines from Chambolle and own very large shares of these highly valuable vineyard plots.

There are many Chambolle producers not based in Chambolle-Musigny, and a small selection of the most interesting ones includes:

• Roumier

• Groffier

• Dujac

• Leroy

• Amiot-Servelle

• Lucien Le Moine

The Greatest Wines in Chambolle-Musigny

Let's take a closer look at the three major wines from Chambolle-Musigny:

Bonnes-Mares

Facts: Le Bonnes Mares is 15.06 Ha (13.54 Ha in Chambolle and only 1.52 in Morey)

Bonnes-Mares is the only shared grand cru in the entire Cotes de Nuits, located right on the edge of Morey-Saint-Denis. Roughly translated, the name of the vineyard means 'the good mothers' and refers to the nuns from the local convent, who once played a significant role in the community.

In my personal experience, this vineyard is difficult to categorize, as there are simply too many style differences among the more than 20 producers making wine from this vineyard.

An interesting detail about the Bonnes-Mares vineyard is a horizontal line running through it, with the upper part having "terre rouge" (red soil) and the lower part having "terre blanche" (white soil). Burgundy wine enthusiasts love to distinguish between these two soil types in Bonnes-Mares, but intriguingly, some producers own land on both sides and often blend these.

Les Amoureuses

Facts: Les Amoureuses is 5.40 Ha

Les Amoureuses is one of the extremely rare 1er crus from Burgundy, which without a doubt would be elevated to grand cru status if there were an update.

There are several reasons why Les Amoureuses should be grand cru, one being the wine’s price and reputation, which are top-notch. Another is that some of the most respected producers serve it after Bonnes-Mares in their tasting lineup - which clearly indicates the level of quality of this wine.

Located directly adjacent to Musigny, Les Amoureuses has an almost perfect position in terms of drainage, elevation, and subsoil. The vineyard faces southeast and thus achieves perfect sun exposure, resulting in very delicate yet intense wines sought after by many wine enthusiasts.

Musigny

Facts: Musigny is 10.85 Ha

Musigny, which has given its name to the town, is among the absolute top grand cru vineyards in all of Burgundy, alongside famous vineyards such as Le Chambertin, Richebourg, etc.

Often the wines from here are described as an iron fist in a velvet glove, which I think describes the wine quite well. The aforementioned Vogüé owns a staggering 7.12 hectares of the vineyard, which is about 70% of the total area, which is exceptional. The vineyard has a nearly majestic location flanked by Clos de Vougeot and Les Amoureuses. The upper part is rich in limestone, while the lower part is dominated by a special type of marble. There is also a good deal of clay in the vineyard, and the slope ranges from 8-14%, so everything is nearly perfect.

If we try to describe what a typical wine from Chambolle is, it is a pronounced terroir wine. By this, I mean that there are significant differences between each vintage, and there are large differences in how individual vineyards and microclimates present themselves, as well as how each producer approaches winemaking. Some prefer the very light, delicate, and fine fruit that can develop in Burgundy wine with age, while others prefer a slightly denser and darker style. In my book, there is no right or wrong, I would just encourage you to go out and get acquainted with the fantastic wines from Chambolle-Musigny.

The Best Vintages in Chambolle-Musigny

In conclusion, here is an overview of the area's best vintages in recent years:

• 1990

• 1995

• 1999

• 2001

• 2002

• 2005

• 2009

• 2010

• 2012

• 2015

• 2016

If you are curious to taste some of the famous wines from Chambolle-Musigny, the chances are good here at ShareWine. Below you can see some of the exciting bottles from the area.