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Winemaker: Frédéric Magnien
A winemaker in a long line of Burgundy artisans, Michel Magnien owns grand cru, premier cru and village vineyards from Gevrey-Chambertin south to Chambolle-Musigny. Morey-St.-Denis is his home, and his quest is to establish this often-overlooked yet always top-notch village more solidly in the hearts of Burgundy enthusiasts.
All of the wines of Michel Magnien hail from family-owned vineyards that the family cultivates and harvests. In comparison, Magnien’s son Frédéric (also represented by North Berkeley Wine) is a negociant, buying grapes for the wine he produces under his own label. Fred, however, makes wine for his father's domaine.
Michel Magnien owns 27 acres, including vineyards within the grand cru plots of Clos de la Roche, Clos St. Denis and Charmes-Chambertin, as well as premier cru sites and village parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny.
Magnien sold a majority of his crop until 1992, when Domaine Michel Magnien began to bottle much of the family's harvest. Soon after joining the family business, Frédéric encouraged his father to vinify his entire crop, starting with the 1994 vintage. While his son takes care of the cellar, Michel still works in the fields, pruning mercilessly and maintaining low yields. Fred proudly calls his father Michel "the finest vineyard worker I have." Magnien is so dedicated to quality that, when the 1997 and 1998 vintage
wines were tainted as a result of chemical contamination during the
construction of a new cellar, he refused to sell the wines. The domaine
suffered a serious loss, yet bounced back with its 1999 vintage.
The low yields and concentrated wines that are the hallmark of Michel Magnien wines are due in large part to his efforts. This is without a doubt a fantastic father-and-son team.