2015 Chambolle-Musigny, Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Burgundy

The 25 vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny are designated as Premier Cru vineyards. Their wines are described as Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, followed by the vineyard name – for example, as Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Grands Murs. The most celebrated Premier Cru in Chambolle is Les Amoureuses.

The 25 vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny (listed below) are designated as Premier Cru vineyards. Their wines are described as Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, followed by the vineyard name – for example, as Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Grands Murs: Les Véroilles, Les Sentiers, Les Baudes, Les Noirots, Les Lavrottes, Les Fuées, Les Feusselottes, Les Grands Murs, Aux Beaux Bruns, Aux Echanges, Les Gruenchers, Les Groseilles, Les Combottes, Les Charmes, Les Plantes, Aux Combottes, Derrière la Grange, Les Borniques, Les Hauts Doix, Les Chatelots, Les Cras, Les Carrières, Les Chabiots, Les Amoureuses, La Combe d'Orveau. Les Amoureuses (5.40 hectares) The most celebrated Premier Cru in Chambolle.

The vines are situated just below Le Musigny but above the significant drop down into Vougeot Premier Cru La Perrière, caused by quarrying rather than a fault line. When young it is almost ludicrously charming, yet it does not age quickly. Leading producers are Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Domaine Georges Roumier, Château de Chambolle-Musigny (Frédéric Mugnier), Domaine Robert Groffier, Domaine Amiot-Servelle and Domaine Bertheau. Les Baudes (3.42 hectares) The last of the Chambolle vineyards before the boundary with Morey St Denis, making a relatively firm style (especially in the hands of vignerons from Gevrey-Chambertin such as Christian Sérafin). Les Charmes (7.51 hectares) In common with other Charmes vineyards the wines are plump and rounded. Look for Chambolle Charmes from Domaines Amiot-Servelle, Barthod, Bertheau, Christian Clerget, Ponsot and Patrice Rion.

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier is based at the Château de Chambolle-Musigny, which has been in the Mugnier family since 1863. Frédéric Mugnier – the fifth generation of the family on the property – took over in 1985. As of 2004, he has reclaimed the Nuits-St Georges Clos de la Maréchale vineyard, which had been on lease to Faiveley since 1950.

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or. Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.