Jacques Frederic Mugnier • Berkeley And. Stuart

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Sub RegionChambolle-Musigny
RegionBurgundy
CountryFrance
ProducerJacques Frederic Mugnier

Introduction

I often wondered why more people, for years, didn't fawn over the wines of Jacques Frederic Mugnier the way they do for some of his neighbors in Chambolle. Always respected, they had never fully reached cult status--until now. Their 2019s might be the best wines the domaine has produced. The world is now aware of the magic that is made at the Chateau de Chambolle Musigny, but this is a story a long time in the making.

Beginnings

The Domaine started in the 1880s, with Francois Mugnier who, as a young man, built a very successful aperitif and cordial company (the posters hang proudly to this day at the Chateau). He started acquiring vineyards from the Marey Monge family and managed to procure land in the most sought-after sites in Chambolle as well as the monopole Clos de la Marechale in Nuits St George. Over the following generations, the apertif business sold. The domaine’s holdings also fractionalized until it sold a large section of the vineyards to buy back the best sites from other family members. The vineyards then went into a lease agreement with Faiveley. Eventually, in 1977, Jacques Frederic Sr. decided to take the vineyards back. In order to regain possession of the Chambolle sites, Freddy allowed Faiveley to sign a 25-year lease on the monopole Clos de la Marechale.

In the meantime, the Chambolle sites were taken back, but the fruit was largely sold off to Jadot while Bernard Clair (Bruno’s father) managed the estate. Freddy took over in 1984 after a brief but successful engineering career in Saudi Arabia. The following year, he attended Lycee Viticole in Beaune and became the winemaker for the domaine. At this point, with the majority of the domaine’s vineyards still contracted to Faiveley, Freddy was able to still work part-time as an airline pilot in France in order to earn enough money to make the wines the way he wanted while also improving the winery.

Traditional/Modern

Those early years were learning years for Freddy, both in the vineyards and in the winery, but his background in engineering served him well. He was never interested in chasing trends. He is not biodynamic or organic in the vineyards, but since the 1980s hasn’t used fertilizer, nor herbicides since 1990 or insecticides since 1995. His vineyard work is about respecting the terroir and allowing the vines to maintain their sense of balance. He generally sees yields between 35-40 hectolitres per hectare. He was able to build a new cuverie to take back the entirety of Clos de la Marechale from Faiveley in 2004, making the the same changes in the vineyards there over time. Taking back Marechale essentially tripled the amount of wine Freddy made. He took the same measured approach to the site that he had to the Chambolle vineyards in the 1980s and 1990s.

His winemaking is incredibly minimal and traditional – he destems 100% (there are a few vintages where he has used a small amount of stems, but doesn’t generally like the flavor it gives to the wines of Chambolle). At most he uses 25% new oak on the more serious wines, and the wines are never fined or filtered. It is amazing to taste Freddy’s wines and realize how he managed to step out of the way as a winemaker to allow the sites to speak.

There is continuity in his winemaking–they are all about elegance and finesse, and that finesse lends itself to Chambolle stylistically. His village wine Chambolle comes from both the premier cru les plantes and the lieu dit of Come d’Orveau, resulting in a wine of both richness and length that outperforms its village level.

His two Premier Crus could not be more different, with Fuees Premier Cru planted on more clay delivering a fleshier, chewy style of wine, while his Amoureuses Premier Cru is the epitome of elegance, planted on more limestone giving higher tones and lift. It is arguably the best wine produced in Amoureuses, which is saying something. His two Grand Crus are on quite opposite sides of the spectrum, with Bonnes Mares the more muscular, masculine, and chunky of the two, with this plot showing its Morey St Denis character. His Musigny, however, is a powerhouse, built around an elegant frame with all the character one would expect from Musigny, opulent but graceful at the same time.

The Monopole

The outlier in Freddy’s stable, but also the wine that is most accessible due to the size of the vineyard is Clos de la Marechale in Nuits St Georges, which is a monopole. While his Chambolle’s are classically red fruit driven the Marechale is more black fruit driven with firmer, slightly more rustic tannins, the trademark of Nuits. He also makes a small amount of Clos de le Marechale Blanc, which comes from the part of Marechale that abuts the Clos l’Arlot.

Location

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Podere Colla has been growing grapes in the Piedmont region since the 1700s, but it wouldn't be surprising if you haven't heard of them. Only having recently begun producing their own wines, their Patriarch Beppe Colla made wines at the Bonardi and Prunotto wineries from the 1950s through the 1990s--becoming an absolute legend in Piedmont.

Prieler is a second-generation estate run on what was an historic farm, converted in the 1970s, on the western side of Lake Neusidl. The estate focuses on both traditional Austrian and Burgundian varietals. The family’s meticulous work in the vineyards, where soils range from iron rich brown loam to limestone, utilizes cover crops and strict canopy management to maintain restraint and elegance in the wines. Winemaking is low intervention and minimalist, with gentle pressing and a combination of both stainless steel and neutral barrels used, pending variety.

The Dauvissat domaine was established in the 1970s by Robert Dauvissat, but his son Rene pushed the reputation and holdings of the domaine to where they are today. Rene’s son Vincent started working at the domaine in the late 70s and still oversees production. Despite the current challenges of the climate in Chablis, the domaine's old vines and significant holdings in the best sites in Chablis result in extraordinary quality on a consistent basis.

As a collector of these wines for two decades, it has been interesting to observe perception versus reality. Raveneau is often given an edge over Dauvissat when discussing great producers in Chablis, although most agree that they are the best producers in the region. In reality, numerous blind side-by-sides over the years have revealed much more of an even match. Especially considering the meteoric rise in prices for Raveneau, I hope that collectors look to Dauvissat and understand that while different, the wines deserve to be on an equal footing with Raveneau.

Based on the current level of respect for the Rostaing wines, one would assume that they have been around for generations. In reality, the domaine was started just a few decades ago. Sort of.

When Rene Rostaing founded the estate in 1971, he was working as a notary. He continued his work while moonlighting as a winemaker until the estate grew to a size that could support him. He was lucky in that while he was not a winemaker, his uncle, the famous Marius Gentaz, was there to guide him over the years. He then married into the Dervieux family, adding Albert Dervieux as another shepherd along his winemaking journey. When both Gentaz and Dervieux retired their parcels, he purchased their vineyards, quickly putting him in the position of managing arguably the best dirt in the Northern Rhone.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more iconic American winery than Ridge Vineyards. With a history dating back to 1962, they've changed very little since that first vintage. They are masters of making cabernet sauvignon and what is perhaps the most American grape, zinfandel. Their wines are elegant, with a clear sense of place, and are some of the most age-worthy wines produced in the United States. This legacy is largely due to Paul Draper, the legendary winemaker who held his position from 1969 until his retirement at the age of 80 in 2016. While Paul’s gift for winemaking was clear, it was his ability to let the sites he worked with shine by showing not just their terroir but also vintage character.

Robert Groffier is a relatively new domaine when speaking of Burgundy. Started in the 1950s by Jules Groffier, it is now run by the third generation, Nicolas Groffier. Owning just under eight hectares, the domaine is located in Morey St. Denis but has holdings on both the north and south side of the village.

Located in the town of Tadten, not far from the Hungarian border, Sattler is now run by the fourth generation of the family, Erich Sattler. Outside of some changes in the vineyards, he has kept the estate consistent with previous generations.

Perhaps the definition of cult California cabernet, Screaming Eagle is considered to be the Holy Grail among many collectors. The founders made what was essentially a hobby into one of the most collectible wines in the world.

When Jean Phillips bought original vineyard in 1986, it was already planted to a cabernet. From there, she added cabernet franc, merlot, and more cabernet sauvignon vines. When the vines came of age, Phillips reached out to Heidi Barret, a then up-and-coming winemaker in the valley, to produce the first wine for the 1992 vintage. The release gained significant acclaim, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thierry’s journey to the Loire was not traditional. After moving from Bordeaux in the early 1990s, he immediately connected with Charly Foucault from Clos Rougeard. Buying in entirely into the practice of biodynamic, he not only converted his entire estate but also became of the biggest proponents the practice both in France and world wide.

Theirry works parcels in both Saumur (for his whites) and Saumur Champigny (for his reds). Thanks to time spent in the vineyard and his biodynamic dedication, he has been able to identify parcels by soil type to individually farm, vinify, and bottle.

Egon Müller is arguably the most legendary estate in Germany. Their family has owned the property since 1797 and they have produced some of the most sought-after and age-worthy wines in Germany’s history. They own almost one third of the Scharzhofberg vineyard, a Grand Cru equivalent and the crown jewel in the family’s holdings. The wines walk a razor's edge with an uncanny balance between the exotic spice and generous fruit as well as the laser focus and acidity.

For a very long time, the wines from Dönnhoff flew under the radar. Riesling in general took a back seat for many collectors, with only the some aware of the magic that happens when the sweet wines have bottle age. Thanks to the likes of Weingut Keller, Egon Muller, and many others, the collector market has awoken to the possibility of great Riesling. The wines from the Dönnhoff family certainly belong in that category. The family has been quietly farming and producing some of the most compelling from Germany, now considered a guiding light in their home region of the Nahe.

Located in the Kremstal on the edge of Senftenberg Mountain, the history of Weingut Nigl is clear when you first set eyes on the estate. Wine production only started in 1985 under the vision of Martin Nigl, while the family was farmers for 200 years prior.

In terms of German wine estates, Robert Weil is a relative newcomer. Established in 1875 in the heart of some of the best vineyards in the Rheingau, they made their home in the village of Kiedrich, an area known for its wine as early as 950 AD. The estate has significant holdings in some of the finest vineyards in the region, Turmberg and Gräfenberg in Kiedrich, which has further cemented its recognition beyond the international acclaim it receives for being in the Rheingau.

There is a fine line between decadence and laser-like finesse. The wines of Willi Schaefer walk that line, with a crystalline focus that seems next to impossible. The wines drink beautifully when young, but have the ability to age as well as any from Riesling.

A World Of Wine