Georges Mugneret Nuits-Chaignots '93 : a lesson to be learned from it...

And, I learned it “very well”, as the song “Red Rubber Ball” concluded. (An oldie; from the '60s).

In summer 1996, shortly before my wife and I visited the Mugneret estate for the third or fourth time (we had met Dr. Georges in 1988, but he was clearly in bad health and the end was imminent), Robert Parker criticized their 1993s as being way “too hard” for their structure. He also suggested that he had overrated the previous wines from the domaine, both made by the sisters and by their father. When we discussed it with Christine and her mother on that visit, they were very interested in refuting these hurtful comments.

So, after tasting through their '94s, some of which were recently bottled, the two of them brought out two '93s: the Nuits-Chaignots 1er cru and their always-wonderful Ruchottes Chambertin-- in bottle …to see what I thought. I remember it vividly, as I learned a new “trick”: vigourously shaking a reticent bottle to get it to show some of its charms. Christine did that…and told us that her father taught her that “trick.” (I’ve used it on rare occasions since…after decanting the sediment, though, and it can be helpful.)

My notes said that she and her mother said to keep the '93 Chaignot for “10 years”. I noted coffee aromas, good acidity and body but wondered “is there really enough fruit”. I also wrote after really watching it for a while…“there’s fruit, but not enough?”. (I found the Ruchottes ‘93 more expressive on the nose with decent fruit, but wondered whether there was really enough , but after the shaking…concluded that the wonderful core of fruit was enough to outlast the tannins…and said "I’[m sure this is really excellent.")

I am happy to report that the Chaignots, drunk last night with red beans and rice and some nice cheeses…showed really nicely in a decidedly masculine way. Lovely black fruit aromas…a tight wine that blossomed with open aeration and needed the fat of the cheese to bring out the fruit’s persistence and class. Long and clean and very cherry…and even better this morning left in open bottle. A terrific wine…from a vintage that was very irregular due to torrential downpours…but made some miraculous examples that even the winemakers in October 1993 were amazed to find after vinification. (One who visited us that fall told of calling domaine after domaine…where the winemakers thought they might be crazy…since their wines were turning out so impressively…until they began to realize that many were indeed terrific. )

The “lesson to be learned from this…red” is that judging red Burgundy when young…can really be a crapshoot and very risky…either by exulting it or condemning it. I believed that there was not enough fruit in this Chaignots…and have believed that possibility for 18+ years. Ideally, I wouldn’t have consumed this bottle for 7-8 more years. I hope I have that much time…and there is nothing “old” in this wine yet…though maturing slowly (in my 65 degree cellar). And, that it is dangerous to rely on wine "critics’ " impressions rather than your own. (I gave up on that a long time ago and decided to buy only what I could taste first.)

Lots of “lessons” , but maybe not much more “wisdom” for me, though.

Love their chaignots. Year in, year out it’s a great wine and that’s the real lesson here!

Thanks for the excellent detail report. For my palate, NSG in general are earthy and hard except the vineyards adjacent to Vosne. Although my sampling of the older MG wines are limited, they were not terribly impressive. I am pretty impressed with the younger wines however. I love the 93 vintage.

Very nice. I love this bottling from the sisters.

Stuart,

What a great story. I have tasted very few wines from this estate but always come away very impressed. I think your statement about not being able to predict the outcome based on early sampling is well taken (one of the finer experiences of the past year has been a 1997 Clos de Tart). Keeps us all on our toes.

Have found NSG to be a source of honest value, as discussed in the past.

Cheers,
Doug

That’s their reputation, Kevin, but…from good producers (Chevillon, Rion, Chopin-Groffier and others) that’s not really the case, IMO…no matter which side of Nuits the wine is from. (There are some terrific monopoles, ie. “Clos” this and that in the south side of the Nuits appellation (Premeaux) that really sing with finesse. Different from the trophier wines upcoast to Gevrey (but…in many ways less “hard” than many Gevreys).

There is no question that Dr. Georges’ two lovely daughters and their mother have taken the wines to another quality level. But, in fairness to their father and the “older” wines, however, the '80s is when most estates transitioned to more modern, ie, clean and thoughtful, rather than “traditional” winemaking. Judging them by the standards then abounding is more apt, I think. They did fine for the era.

RE: ‘93. The good ones are great wines. However, the vintage in the Cote de Beaune and in the Cote de Nuits where the wineries’ picked at the wrong time (pre or post-deluge both created problems)…is acidic and lacking sustaining fruit. The trophier wines, in that vintage, not surprisingly, did best. They ripened fine, if picked at the right time…which is really why they were esteemed by the monks centuries ago…consistent ripeness…I doubt they were looking for complexity, long finishes, etc.

'93 is a perfect example, to me, of the risks of someone offering a “vintage rating”. Judging by the good wines…is misleading in 1993. That vintage is the one that convinced me that the only meaningful and sensible way to really evaluate vintages, per se, is consistency across the board. Otherwise, it’s just by personal highlights, which , in every vintage, can mislead about the vintage…particularly if people don’t understand the criteria.

One thing is for sure: '93 was a miracle vintage. No one would ever expect any good wines to come from the conditions in that harvest time. And…even for weeks, no one, including the winemakers, did. By the end of October, people were cautiously impressed. But, the winemakers were still skeptical.

The examples I’ve had this year from '93 tell me that '93 is just starting to “come around the mountain” into maturity…but…is not that close yet, FWIW. The wines are enjoyable…in a masculine, structured style.

After many visits of tasting wines in barrel in Burgundy (the only real way to get a broad handle on a vintage…ever…unfortunately) …and recently-bottled, I have long thought that the best way to evaluate the snapshot one gets is by the nature, length and fruit concentration on the finish of a wine. I still do. But…with this '93 Mugneret…that didn’t tell me enough that day, apparently, to be confident that it would turn out well. So…there is no sure way, IMO. At least none I’ve ever heard of.

Thanks for the great story and report, Stuart.
Each week there is more evidence, personally as well as from others like you, telling me I’m still trying to evaluate, and also drink, red Burg too young.
Your note says it all. Cheers.

A slight tangent… and this has probably been discussed before on the boards… are there any Burg producers who have tried the Lopez de Heredia-type model of holding wine for an extended period? I think Lopez’s current release on the Tondonia Gran Reserva (both white and red) is 1994. I’m sure the prices would be astronomical, but wouldn’t it be amazing to see significant releases held until they’ve had 20 years on them?

Not that I’ve ever heard of, Brad. The rioja model…and similar things that used to be used in the southern Rhone of keeping stuff is not part of the Burgundy tradition (or architecture, ie, storage.) The model is to bottle within two years…and…sell it or store it, in necessary until it is sold. (MY understanding of the Lopez and similar is that it’s kept in barrell a whole lot longer, running the risk of drying out the wine…which is antithetical to pinot noir…though it works with tempranillo maybe.)

If you’re talking about just holding bottles…a few places do that…Robert/Michel Ampeau in Meursault is the best of them, IMO. But, economics come into play and most estates can’t embrace that financially for a host of reasons, including that most family estates have mulitiple owners/heirs, who need the cash. And…the market is not set up to deal with late releases. If that’s your interest…I suggest checking out Ampeau. They are great to visit and buy…and I have much experience with both.

Thanks Stuart, I have had a few good old Ampeaus over the years (have a lone bottle of 93 les perrieres in my collection right now). Yeah, I get that the rioja model is tricky and probably not going to happen many places - it just makes me that much appreciative of LdH and others. I just looked at LdH’s website - both the red and white 94 Tondonia Gran Reserva were in barrel 10 years (“10 years, being racked twice a year and fined with fresh egg whites”), then stored in bottle in their caves. Crazy.

Thanks for the great story. I continue to be surprised at how long good Burgundy can age.

Me, too…I’ve almost never had one that I thought was too old to enjoy. The bigger surprise for me, though, is how long it needs to age to show what all the fuss is about. IMO, until it gets “there”…one is robbing it of its potential…and of the drinker of that satisfying experience.

Where is Paul ? Are you there… [wink.gif]

I had a 2009 Chevillon Vaucrains earlier this year that was absolutely incredible and rewrote my preconceptions on what NSG could do. It was deep, flowing, long and profound…anything but rustic or hard. Probably the best wine I’ve had this year and thanks to the lockdowns I’ve had some amazing wines. Just one data point but there it is.

I have not had the 09 but the 10 was exceptional.

  • 2010 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (10/10/2020)
    BM’s famous brisket gathering (Bethesda, Maryland): Youthful expressive nose displaying concentrated ripe yet pure black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, caramel, lavender, and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of sweet black fruit, rich, generous and opulent, but also pure and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, a hint of sweet tannins, and a seamless long opulent black fruit driven finish with caramel at the end. Although very youthful, it is drinking beautifully with ample sweet black fruit. Excellent showing! (95 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker