Musigny (vineyard)

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The Musigny is a Grand Cru classified vineyard on the Côte d'Or in French Burgundy . It is located in the municipality of Chambolle-Musigny . Its 10.67 hectares form its own appellation . As the only Grand Cru of the Côte de Nuits , it produces not only red wine but also white wine.

Location, climate and soil

The Musigny is located on a rising (8-14%), east-south-east oriented slope at 260 to 300 m above sea level . To the north and east it borders on Villages and Premier Cru locations in the municipalities of Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot , and to the southeast is the Clos de Vougeot . To the south are the Grand Cru locations Échezeaux and Grand Échezeaux . The Musigny consists of three individual layers. From north to south these are: Les Musigny (5.89 ha), Les Petits-Musigny (4.19 ha) and La Combe d'Orveau (0.61 ha). The vineyards are shared by around 15 owners. Of these, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé owns the lion's share with 7.14 hectares, including the two parcels Les Petits-Musigny. This is followed by Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier from Chambolle-Musigny with 1.13 hectares, Jacques Prieur from Meursault with 0.76 hectares, J. Drouhin from Beaune with 0.67 hectares and Domaine Leroy with 0.27 hectares. The rest This means that wineries share less than 10% of the vineyard area.

The climate is assigned to the Burgundian transitional climate , in which continental influences predominate over maritime ones. The mostly dry and hot summers allow the Pinot Noir to ripen, but great vintages are only created when there is no rain in autumn to impair the harvest. Due to the pure east location, the microclimate is relatively cool, but particularly sunny. Located exactly between the cuts of the Combe de Chambolle and the Combe d'Orveaux , the Musigny is protected from night winds and late frosts.

The higher part of Musigny rests on an oolite plinth from the Bathonium . The subsoil of the deeper part of the site is on Comblanchien limestone. The brown, loamy-chalky soil layer of the Musigny is much thinner in the upper part than in the lower part. Therefore, the winemakers have to haul eroded soil back up from time to time. The numerous limestones help to store the warmth of the day into the night.

Wine

Of the 10.70 hectares of Musigny, 9.73 hectares were planted with red and 0.66 hectares with white vines in 2004. The red Musigny is made almost exclusively from Pinot Noir . As more varieties are Pinot Liébault and Pinot Beurot admitted. Theoretically, up to 15% white grapes ( Chardonnay , Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc ) can be used. The natural alcohol content must be at least 11.5% by volume. The chaptalization is - as everywhere in Burgundy - allowed. The annual base yield is 35 hectoliters per hectare. This may be exceeded by a maximum of 20%. Only Chardonnay is permitted for the white Musigny. A minimum alcohol potential of 12% by volume and a basic yield of 40 hl / ha apply. From 2000 to 2004, an average of 247 hectoliters of red wine and 21 hectoliters of white wine were produced annually from this vineyard.

For the red Musigny, wine connoisseurs consider the “ Cuvée Vieilles Vignes” (old vines) from Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé to be the measure of all things. In good vintages, the wine shows an intense fragrance that may be reminiscent of red fruits, flowers and spices. Its texture is then silky, the aroma intense and long-lasting. Large vintages can last for around two decades if properly stored. Stylistically, the white Musigny does not resemble any other white wine from the Côte de Beaune. Its aromas are often compared by wine connoisseurs with the scent of flowers (violets) and almonds.

history

The Musigny got its name from the family of the same name, who originally owned the vineyard and had great influence in Burgundy in the 14th century. Later, however, the Musigny family died out, but the vineyard and its name survived. There was already a Gallo-Roman settlement near what is now Musigny. Wine was growing there as early as 1110 when the Cistercians settled in the neighboring Clos de Vougeot. There a parcel bears the name "Musigné" - an old spelling of Musigny. It was already divided between different owners in the Middle Ages. This included the Bouhier family . Their share in Musigny goes back to the rich and pious Jean Moisson , who donated the Chambolle-Musigny chapel in 1450. His granddaughter received the vineyards as a dowry when she married the Dijon merchant Michel Millière in 1528 . In 1575 these vineyards came into the possession of the Bouhier family through marriage. Their last heiress, Catherine Bouhier, married the Marquis Cerice François Melchior de Vogüé in 1766 . To this day, the de Vogüé family owns most of the vineyard. This is the oldest vineyard property still in existence today on the Côte d'Or. The 19th generation is currently responsible.

Musigny wine enjoyed a great reputation as early as the 18th century. At that time, however, the appreciation was one level below the vineyards Chambertin , Clos de Vougeot and La Romanée . Today it has at least caught up with the first two in terms of land value and price. On September 11, 1936, the Musigny was given the status of a Grand Cru by decree and thus at the same time its own appellation. A special feature is that this also applies to the white wine. This goes back to the de Vogüé family, who had always grown Chardonnay (primarily for their own consumption). In 1984 the Musigny was expanded by around 15 ares by adding part of the Combe d'Orveau vineyard to it.

References

  1. ↑ a b Location and production of the Musigny
  2. ^ Decree on the Musigny appellation

Literature and web links

Coordinates: 47 ° 10 ′ 39 ″  N , 4 ° 57 ′ 15 ″  E