2009 Domaine Michel Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chaffots 1er Cru

The 2009 Morey St. Denis Les Chaffots shows the depth and richness of these old vines (planted in 1964) in its deep layers of black fruit. There is a baritone register here that is quite striking. The wine turns round and sweet, with notes of spices from the oak that frame the finish. This plot sits on the bottom portion of the vineyard just above Clos St. Denis. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2024. My tasting with Frederic Magnien spanned several dozen offerings. Magnien bottles two lines; the Domaine Michel Magnien range is made from estate-owned vineyards, while the Maison Frederic Magnien wines are made exclusively from purchased grapes and/or vineyards the Maison farms through long-term contracts. If that sounds confusing, welcome to Burgundy! In layman's terms the Domaine bottlings carry a black label, while the Maison wines carry a white label. Both sets of wines are vinified at Magnien's new facility in Morey St. Denis. In reality, though, each range has its own winery within the same building, which leads to some fascinating differences in the wines, which I explain below. The Domaine Michel Magnien wines are rich, sumptuous Burgundies. The fruit is 100% destemmed. In 2009 Magnien used 30% new oak for the villages, 50% for the 1ers and 100% for the grand crus. The wines spent about nine months in oak. After the malos, the wines were racked into older, neutral oak where they finished their elevage. I find the house style a big factor in these 2009s, in fact there are fewer differences from wine to wine as one might reasonably expect in such a broad selection of appellations. My sense is that the 2009s here are destined for early drinking. Since 2008 the Domaine Michel Magnien vineyards have begun the process towards conversion to biodynamic farming. All of the 2009s were bottled in February 2011. Importers: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880

Good deep red. Reticent, slightly reduced nose hints at dark berries and smoked meat. Supple, silky and rather open-knit in the mouth; comes across as distinctly riper than the Cazetiers. The spicy, herbal, savory finish conveys a strong soil character, and the mounting tannins coat the front teeth.