Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 90-92
The 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru, from declassified vines under 25 years in Musigny, has a more introverted bouquet than the Village Cru at the moment — here, displaying more obvious woodland and sous-bois aromas. The palate leans more towards the red fruit spectrum with raspberry and wild strawberry, and an attractive tang of spice, dovetailing into a structured and lively finish. This is a classy Chambolle 1er Cru — not to be overlooked. I arrived in Chambolle-Musigny and pulled into the large courtyard at de Vogue in the middle of a torrential downpour, though that did not dampen my anticipation tasting their 2014s and 2013s with the ever-philosophical Francois Millet. "The winter was very mild, followed by an early bud burst and flowering. We thought we would pick very early. The summer was bad, mild and rainy, but the advantage was that it slowed down the advance [of the growing cycle] and preserved the freshness of the vintage. September was easier with some showers. We picked on September 13 with the young vines in Musigny." "The vintage is quite welcoming," he continued. "I find a lot of compromises: medium freshness, not too much, just enough. The skin ripeness is medium, which gives you a possibility to play with red and black fruit that enlarge the aromatic spectrum. I would compare it to springtime, when air is beginning to warm up and the land is still cold, a subtle contrast between the reminiscence of the winter and the start of springtime. I find there is a subtlety with depth. There is a romantic side of the vintage connected with the warm spring. We had the same climatic conditions in 2007 and 2011. The heat of the vintage comes from the springtime. 2014 can be quite harsh if forced. The subtlety of the sensuous contrast between sweetness and freshness can be quickly damaged if it is forced or over-extracted. The vintage was unique in terms of weather conditions — it was upside down in some ways. We had a hailstorm on June 28 and we lost 10% to 20%, more in Musigny than other vineyards." This is always a fascinating tasting. For me, the Chambolle-Musigny Amoureuses was the star of the show, at least at this early juncture, actually more expressive than the linear and surprisingly tertiary Bonnes-Mares. The Musigny Vieilles Vignes was actually more difficult to read, but I think there is a great wine here, one intent on coveting its virtues for now, only revealing them for those with the wherewithal to wait a decade. As I have mentioned in previous reports, I used to find the winemaking too conspicuous at de Vogue, but in recent vintages I have found the terroirs more articulated, thereby differentiating the cuvees to a greater degree.
Anticipated maturity: 2018-2032
Vinous 92
Good bright red Lovely floral high tones to the aromas of red cherry, raspberry and crushed stone Precise and light on its feet, offering excellent precision to its intense flavors of raspberry jelly, minerals and flowers The juicy finish features suave tannins and lovely subtle persistence
Anticipated maturity: 2021-2029
