2008 - Musigny Grand Cru Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, Comte Georges de Vogue

The 2008 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is a wine I could smell all day. The explosive bouquet literally jumps from the glass, followed by deep, beautifully delineated layers of fruit. This shows terrific concentration and depth, dazzling finesse, and a nicely pointed, direct finish. It is an eternal wine. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048. A brilliant career as a wine writer awaits long-time oenologist Francois Millet should he ever tire of making wine. Millet’s visual descriptions of vintages and wines are among the most colorful I have ever encountered. The truth is that these wines need no words at all; the quality of what is in the glass speaks for itself far more eloquently than words ever could. De Vogue’s 2009s are remarkable for their textural richness, depth and pure breed. In 2009 Millet started picking on September 9 in order to keep as much as freshness as possible. The fruit was 100% destemmed. New oak ranged from 15% for the Chambolle villages to 35-40% for the Bonnes Mares and Musigny Vieilles Vignes. The malos were on the slow side and for the most part did not begin until April 2010. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2009 Chambolle-Musigny and Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru and as they were bottled just prior to my visit. I did have a chance to taste most of the 2008s. In many ways the 2008s offer better balance than the 2009s because the vintage characteristics play off the house style of textural richness, resulting in marvelous, totally complete wines. In 2008 the harvest began on September 27, quite a bit later than in 2009. A cool growing season was saved by perfect conditions that began on September 13 and continued through to the end of the harvest. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559

The produce of the vines more than 25 years old goes into this (as opposed to the younger-vine Chambolle Premier Cru). Very dense and introvert. Not nearly as expressive in November 2009 as the domaine’s Bonnes Mares. Extremely serious, ambitious wine. An intriguing floral note that took me straight back to the smell of my grandmother’s flower arrangements. Rich, powerful attack on the palate. Wonderful precision. Sinewy. Then great nuances. This wine has such finesse! Yet it is dense and muscular too and just races away on the palate. Sweetness of fruit at the beginning and then absolutely dry and correct on the finish. Neat, reserved but clearly very special indeed. (JR)