2009 Chambolle Musigny Vieilles Vignes

The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes displays good juiciness and persistence in its textured fruit. It reveals quite a bit of polish on the mid-weight finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Frederic Magnien bottles two lines; the Domaine Michel Magnien range is made predominantly from estate-owned grapes, although a few wines include purchased fruit as well. Magnien also issues a negociant label, Maison Frederic Magnien, exclusively from purchased grapes. If that sounds confusing, welcome to Burgundy! In layman’s terms the Domaine bottlings carry a black label, the Maison wines carry a white label. The Maison Frederic Magnien wines are made in a large, more spacious cellar in the same facility as the Michel Magnien wines also reviewed in this issue. In 2009 cuvaison lasted 14-15 days, including a 3-4 day cold soak. The malos were later and slower here than at the Domaine, so the Maison wines received an additional racking prior to being bottled. In general the Maison wines tend to emphasize a more red expression of fruit, while the Domaine wines are more towards the blue/black end of the spectrum. All of the 2009s were bottled in February 2011. Importer: Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Dark red. Strawberry, raspberry, mocha, pepper, red rose, lavender and spicy oak on the enticing nose. Then juicy, suave and sweet in the mouth, but with a mineral restraint that contributes to an impression of definition. The juicy, rising finish features sweet tannins and some lingering oak.