2008 Domaine Georges Mugneret Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Chaignots 1er Cru

The 2008 Nuits St. Georges Les Chaignots emerges from the glass with dark wild cherries, licorice and minerals, all of which come together in a deep, sensual style. This is another texturally brilliant wine endowed with plenty of intensity and fabulous overall balance. Notes of inner sweetness linger on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2018. This is an impressive set of wines from sisters Marie-Andree and Marie-Christine Mugneret. I can’t think of too many estates that did so well in both 2008 and 2009. Beginning with the 2009 vintage, the estate has simplified their name to Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, which should eliminate some of the confusion of past years. The 2009 harvest began on September 12. The fruit was 100% destemmed. Marie-Andree Mugneret told me she was concerned about over-extracting given the inherent richness in the fruit, so she opted for a gentle approach to vinification. Cuvaison ranged from 15-20 days. After pressing the wines were moved into oak, where they saw one racking just after the malos. New oak ranged from 10% for the Bourgogne, 25% for the Vosne-Romanee, 40% for the Chaignots, 45% for the Feusselottes and 70% for the Grand Crus, from four different coopers. During the time of my visit the wines were being moved into steel, where they would remain for three months prior to bottling. Mugneret planned to bottle with no fining or filtration. Readers should also pay close attention to the estate’s 2008s, which are simply brilliant. The 2008 harvest started on the 22nd of September. Some of the malos took as long as a year to finish. Importers: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel (516) 677-9300, a Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93

Good full bright red. Flowers and high-toned sweet oak spice currently dominate the nose. Then supple, spicy and oaky on the palate, with a serious tannin/acid spine keeping the wine's fruits under wraps. This will need time to harmonize its slightly spiky acidity. Lovely savory tones on the back end.

Dark red. Very ripe aromas of dark fruits, spices and menthol. Dense and sappy in the mouth, with terrific energy to the intense fruit-driven flavors of wild strawberry, raspberry and spices. Finishes very long, with a firm spine of tannins and acids. This will evolve slowly in bottle.