Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes 2005

John Gilman called the 2005 Feusselottes "Chambolle-Musigny: exhibit A" and "grand cru quality without a doubt", from a 0.46-hectare parcel the family bought only in 1985.

Les Feusselottes lies in the heart of Chambolle-Musigny, at the mouth of the combe that opens into the village. Georges Mugneret bought this parcel in 1985, the last vineyard added to the domaine; the estate explains that Feusselottes, or Fousselottes, means land formed by little depressions, which is what their plot looks like. The domaine describes red earth with occasional rocky outcrops; its American importer North Berkeley adds thin alluvial, iron-rich silt over pure limestone and vines averaging 55 years. Luc Corporation, the Japanese importer, lists the holding at 0.46 hectares, the domaine's only Chambolle. Winehog notes the climat ranked low in the nineteenth-century classifications and dates the change in its fortunes to the Mugneret purchase.

In 2005 the wine was still bottled as Domaine Georges Mugneret, as our label shows. The parcels Georges bought himself carried his name, those inherited from Jeanne Gibourg and André Mugneret carried Mugneret-Gibourg, and the two labels were merged from the 2009 vintage. Georges, an ophthalmologist, died in 1988; his daughters Marie-Christine and Marie-Andrée now share the work, one mainly in the vines, the other in the cellar. Every cuvée follows the same path: hand-picked fruit sorted and fully destemmed, four to five days of cold maceration, around ten days of fermentation and 15 to 20 days in vat, then 18 months in barrel, with Luc Corporation putting new oak for the premiers crus at 40 to 45 percent. Nothing is fined or filtered. Rare Wine Co. wrote that 2005 gave the sisters their best wines yet, both premiers crus reaching grand cru quality.

In the glass

John Gilman (View from the Cellar, 94 points, as quoted by K&L Wine Merchants) found red plums, raspberries, black cherries, violets, cocoa powder and chalky soil tones on a full-bodied, sappy palate with zesty acidity and velvety tannins. David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate, 93–94, as quoted by K&L) noted red raspberry, red currant, raw meat and white pepper with a salty-stony finish. Allen Meadows (Burghound, 93, as quoted by K&L) described a cool, restrained, middle-weight wine with ample minerality and excellent length. Stephen Brook (World of Fine Wine, 2007) called it discreet, concentrated and long.

When to open

Meadows judged it drinkable already with 20 to 30 minutes of aeration while still on the way up; the domaine's standing advice for this cuvée is five to ten years in bottle, a mark this 2005 passed long ago.

At the table

The domaine advises against strong, gamey meat and recommends simple meat; North Berkeley suggests duck breast with dried fruit or a wild mushroom tart.

Quick facts

Provenance

Sourced from the Japanese importer.

Sources: Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg; Luc Corporation (Japanese importer); North Berkeley Imports; Rare Wine Co.; Winehog; View from the Cellar (J. Gilman), Wine Advocate (D. Schildknecht) and Burghound (A. Meadows) as quoted by K&L Wine Merchants; World of Fine Wine (S. Brook)