2009 Domaine Frédéric Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 1er Cru

The 2009 Morey St. Denis Les Ruchots is totally dark, rich and enveloping in its sensual fruit. This is a beautiful, voluptuous style of Morey. I commented that this was the most ‘Michel Magnien styled’ wine in the Maison lineup to which Frederic Magnien replied that this was the one vineyard he owned among all the parcels that inform the negociant label. Interestingly, the parcel is worked along the exact same lines as the Michel Magnien wines but the fruit is vinified in the Frederic Magnien part of the winery. Magnien uses this parcel to try out new techniques before he applies them to the Domaine wines. 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

Good deep red. Ripe aromas of raspberry, mocha, smoke and flint. Supple, rich and deep but not overly sweet, with good mineral and menthol lift to its raspberry fruit. Tannins are sweet but firm and the very long finish coats the palate with spices and flowers. Very promising.