Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier   Musigny Grand Cru

2011 Musigny Grand Cru

By Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier

2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier, Burgundy

In the intricate tapestry of Burgundy’s prestigious crus, the 2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier emerges with a narrative woven of finesse and complexity. The unique conditions of 2011 endowed us with wines that challenge the connoisseur to discern the whispers of terroir amidst the opulence of fruit—a task to which this Musigny rises with an almost sentient grace.

 

Vintage Virtuosity: A Display of Mastery

The growing season of 2011 in Burgundy was marked by early flowering followed by a relatively cool summer, prompting vignerons to take a very attentive approach. Amidst these conditions, Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier navigated the vintage with adept hands, sculpting a Musigny that articulates the delicate interplay between ripeness and structure—one sees this astutely managed duality in every sip.

 

A Symphony in a Glass: The 2011 Vintage Unfolds

This 2011 Musigny Grand Cru parades an aromatic panoply blending ripe red cherries and blackberries with haunting whispers of violet and subtle earthiness—a hallmark of the Chambolle terroir. While many 2011s were approachable young, this creation by Mugnier suggests potential for further depth with cellar maturation.

On the palate, one is greeted by the luxurious texture emblematic of Musigny, counterpoised by just-enough acidity, giving a sonorous length to the finish. Tannins, though fine, have a confident presence, nodulating as they interweave with the luscious fruit core—an indicator for auspicious ageing potential, crucial for serious investors.

Evolving beautifully with time, this vintage harnesses its subtleties and broadening flavour dimensions year on year. Within its evolving profile lies an alluring opportunity for those tendering portfolios as dynamic as the liquid treasures they contain. The 2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier exemplifies a vintage-specific enigma—one meriting its cherishable position in any collection as it gracefully ascends to its apogee.

 

Investment Elegance: An Indelible Burgundian Jewel

For enthusiasts seeking a wine that echoes the sentimentality of its vintage while encapsulating an investable lineage, look no further than this vinous rarity. Each resonating sip offers not just pleasure but a transcendent experience—a testament to expert winemaking meeting an intriguing year—a combination setting apart Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier's 2011 expression as one for judicious consideration by those poised to capture wine’s bounty at its zenith.

Current market price

$39,570.00

12x75cl

Highest score

95

POP score

1585.33

Scores and tasting notes

95

The 2011 Musigny Grand Cru has a fragrant, floral, understated bouquet that is beautifully defined and focused. With time in the glass it offers subtle forest floor and damp soil scents that merely add to its complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins and exquisite balance. It tiptoes across the senses rather than delivering a payload of flavors, while the finish offers extraordinary precision and nuance. It is a long-term wine of immense density – deceptively so. I was delighted to return to the home of Frederic Mugnier in the cluster of houses that make up the village of Chambolle, his perhaps the grandest and most imposing. Those are not adjectives that would describe the man himself, ever congenial and humble when I met him at the domaine. I was there to taste his 2012s in barrel, but with some free time before my next appointment he kindly offered to show me his bottled 2011s. This is a producer whose wines I have warmed to in recent years. When I commenced my Burgundy odyssey in the 1990s I felt that his wines were outshone by his neighbor Christophe Roumier and felt that they did not quite reach their full potential. However, in recent vintages Frederic has really honed his style and to me he seems more comfortable with the level of new wood that he is using, even countenancing the idea of a grand cru sans new oak. The wines seem “happier,” as banal as that sounds. But they just sang from bottle with freshness, verve, personality and charm – facets of a great Burgundy wine. Most of these cuvees would have been allocated on release, but I am sure some 2011s remain available and they come highly recommended. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Veritas Imports, Beverly Hills, CA; tel. (310) 205-3803; Toepfer Imports LLC, CO; tel. (303) 818-7640

Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 30 October 2013

Vintage performance