Maison Frédéric Magnien
Morey-Saint-Denis | Côte de Nuits | Burgundy
Of all our Burgundy producers, Frédéric Magnien, with his impressive selection of historic premier cru and grand cru terroirs, offers the most complete experience for those passionate about Burgundy wines.
For those just beginning their exploration, Magnien Burgundy is the ideal gateway to truly understanding the myriad tastes that this wine region promises. Each of Magnien’s many exemplary crus brings you closer to the true meaning of terroir—whether the orange essence of grand cru Echezeaux or the chocolaty core of Morey ‘Millandes.’
And for those who have already been seduced by all that is Burgundy, Magnien offers a lifetime of exploration into the region’s most impressive and rare vineyards, now all within reach.
Frédéric is a fifth-generation winemaker from Morey-Saint-Denis, and Burgundy is the family’s lifeblood. Learning the craft first from his father, Michel Magnien (of Domaine Michel Magnien), Fred also traveled to California and Australia to hone his talents before returning home and starting his own négociant domaine in his native village.
There’s no question that Magnien knows every nook and cranny of Burgundy by heart. As a child, he used these vineyards as his off-road bicycle course, riding through premier and grand cru plots. As a winemaker, Magnien still rides his bike through the fields to greet growers at first light; his are long-lasting partnerships based on trust and respect.
FARMING & WINEMAKING
As a négociant, Magnien differentiates himself in that he works closely with his partner vine growers throughout the year, selecting only older-vine parcels that are cared for to his exacting standards. His own teams pick the grapes at harvest, a further qualitative step. (Most négociants buy juice, not grapes.) Most of the vineyards Magnien purchases grapes from are either certified organic or in the process of conversion.
In the cellar, grapes are destemmed and fermented on indigenous yeasts. As of the 2015 vintage, Magnien now ages his wines in older François Frères oak barrels and terracotta “jarres,” as the next logical step in his full conversion to organic/biodynamic winemaking. This decision, he says, allows his wines to reflect more purity of fruit and terroir character. Along a similar vein, Magnien as of 2018 introduced terracotta amphorae into his cellar for aging, in sizes that range from 320L to 750L. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, with minimal sulfur additions.
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut
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Bourgogne Blanc
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Marsannay Blanc 'Saint-Jacques'
Marsannay is one of Burgundy’s coolest villages, and this white Burgundy in particular is all freshness and energy. ‘Saint-Jacques’ sits up near the forest line, at altitude.
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Meursault 'Casse-Tête'
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Meursault 'Coeur de Roches'
We’ve always been impressed with Magnien’s terroir chops. He seems to know every secret corner where a modest villages plot boasts grand-cru quality soils! Here in ‘Coeur du Roches,’ he’s selected older-vine fruit from a handful of select Meursault vineyards to highlight what rocky, limestone rich terroir can do. (Roches, in French, are rocks.) Impressive structure with finesse; stony energy and lots of freshness. A lovely, seductive Meursault!
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Meursault 'Peutes Vignes'
In the northeast corner of Meursault, ‘Peutes Vignes’ touches premier cru vineyards and enjoys a moderate slope, for a wine of plush and tangy stone fruits and citrus zest.
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Morey-Saint-Denis Blanc
Magnien’s home-town vineyards aren’t completely planted to Pinot Noir — here and there a handful of older-vine Chardonnay offers a surprise. This medium-bodied, wonderfully savory wine is a selection of Chardonnay from three vineyards within Morey-Saint-Denis. Very rare and wonderful.
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Chassagne-Montrachet
A picture-perfect example of the delicate aromas and flavorful, citrus-inspired fruit of the best of Chassagne. Organically raised, a wine that sings in the glass.
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Puligny-Montrachet
A succulent, older-vine selection of peerless Burgundian Chardonnay from top villages-level vineyards, cared for organically. A picture-perfect Puligny, with ripe citrus and herbal, mineral energy.
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Chablis 1er Cru ‘Mont de Milieu’
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Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir
Bourgogne Rouge 'Gravièrs'
Cool, red-fruit flavors and smooth tannins. Sourced from a single vineyard in Chambolle-Musigny called ‘Graviers,’ not far from villages-level vineyard ‘Les Herbues.’ Vines 40+ years old. Pinot Noir here comes with a refined, mineral edge
Côte de Nuits-Villages Rouge ‘Croix Violette’
‘Croix Violette’ is a small plot surrounded by a stone wall, neighboring an active cloister (the Violet Cross) in the village of Brochon. Vines on average 50 years old. True to its name, fruit here is purple, regal, refined; very juicy and spiced
Marsannay Rouge 'Saint-Jacques'
One of the Cote de Nuits’ northernmost villages, Marsannay is a cool character and a treasure trove for hidden terroir that makes Pinot Noir magic. ‘Saint-Jacques’ sits high up at the forest line, on nearly solid limestone soils. Chiseled and pure yet also full-bodied and plush, this is an outperforming red wine from a modest Burgundy village now ready for its closeup.
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Fixin 'Clos Marion'
Sourced from a special monopole vineyard on the border with Brochon, ‘Clos Marion’ is a suave and silky Pinot Noir, with tons of earthy Fixin character.
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Fixin 'Crais de Chene'
A vineyard at the border with Couchey, this northern Fixin plot blends limestone marl and colored clays for a supple and structured Pinot Noir. Chene in French means oak tree; it is said that this plot was once covered with them.
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Morey-Saint-Denis 'Les Herbuottes'
‘Herbuottes’ sits to the northeast of the village, touching premier cru ‘Les Charieres.’ Limestone-rich, mineral soils result in a Pinot Noir that’s deep and plush, with red fruits and baking spices.
Morey-Saint-Denis 'Coeur d'Argile'
“Argile” in French means clay; this beneficial terroir especially amid a warming climate is a boon for Pinot Noir vines, as it retains water, allowing vines to remain hydrated even in the warmer summer months. A selection of older-vine fruit from villages-level vineyards rich in clay soils. A wonderfully silky, supple Pinot Noir with lovely texture on the palate.
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Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Jeunes Rois’
The ‘Jeunes Rois’ vineyard, facing east, is located in Brochon, at the border of Gevrey-Chambertin. Soils are stony and poor; the vineyard is surrounded by a stone wall which traps heat, helping grapes to ripen. ‘Jeunes Rois’ in French means “young kings.”
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Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
A love letter to the purpled fruit and silky tannins of Chambolle. A selection of older-vine fruit from villages-level plots in Chambolle-Musigny: ‘Les Babillères,’ ‘Les Condemennes’ (which borders premier cru ‘Charmes’) and ‘Les Danguerrins,’ high up at the forest line. Vines 50+ years old.
Vosne-Romanée 'Maizières'
‘Maizières’ is a vineyard split between an “upper” and “lower” section, extending from Vosne into Flagey-Echezeaux. Well-placed, it sits just under premier cru ‘Suchots’ and is a stone’s throw from the border of grand cru Clos du Vougeot. A true insider’s Vosne and one that well outshines its villages status. A great bottle for the cellar, and a value to boot.
Vosne-Romanée 'Champs Perdrix'
‘Champs Perdrix’ touches Vosne premier cru vineyards to the north, and legendary grand crus La Tâche and Romanée-Conti to the east. Soils here echo the rockiness of La Tâche, with a touch more sand. A juicy, spicy Vosne villages wine with aromas of blackberry, light-roast coffee and plenty of rocky, mineral nuance.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru 'Clos Sorbè'
‘Clos Sorbè’ is a premier-cru vineyard in the heart of the village, between ‘Clos Baulet’ and ‘Les Sorbè,’ facing east at 780 feet in altitude. Soils are rich in marl, with many white stones, a result of the gradual erosion of the “mother rock” of Burgundian limestone. A richly structured yet still supple Burgundian Pinot Noir with a great capacity to age.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru 'Clos Baulet'
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru 'Ruchots'
In the south of the village at the border with Chambolle, ‘Ruchots’ sits just under grand cru monopole Clos de Tart and grand cru Bonnes Mares. The vineyard’s location in a small valley means cooler winds from the north form a special microclimate, allowing a slower, longer ripening. Soils are thin and iron-rich; subsoils are pure “mother rock” limestone.
Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru 'Damodes'
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Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 'Lavaut Saint-Jacques'
North of the village proper, ‘Lavaux Saint-Jacques’ faces southeast at the mouth of the Gevrey combe, or valley. Vines here feed directly from Burgundy’s mother rock of limestone, a few inches from the surface. One of Gevrey’s more noble and structured premier crus.
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Les Fuées'
‘Fuées’ is a very special plot, situated high up on the slope in Chambolle and directly bordering grand cru Bonnes Mares. Soils here are very similar to Bonnes Mares: lots of limestone rocks and fossils. A “fuée” is a Burgundian term that designates the amount of land one laborer can work (with a hoe) in a single day. Incredible concentration and intensity here.
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Feusselottes'
‘Feusselotes’ sits in the heart of the village. Soils are primarily red silt, decomposed limestone and clay, from the “combe” or valley above Chambolle. This richly mineral, ruddy terroir, Magnien tells us, gives the wine its structure and ability to age; richly floral and wonderfully smooth, this is a classic Chambolle that will only improve with time.
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Baudes'
East-facing, ‘Baudes’ sits just across the road from grand cru Bonnes Mares. Magnien selects older vines at the bottom of this premier cru slope, at the border with premier cru ‘Sentiers,’ where the soils are deeper, a mix of marl and gravel. This terroir combination, Magnien claims, gives this wine a deeper, more concentrated profile, with aromas of black cherry and rich, earthy nuance.
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Borniques'
‘Borniques’ borders grand cru Musigny and sits just above premier cru ‘Amoureuses.’ East-facing; soils are nearly identical to grand cru Musigny, with limestone and veins of white and yellow clay. Concentrated, with layers and layers of flavor; always a favorite for the cellar.
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Charmes' Vieilles Vignes
‘Charmes’ faces east and sits at the same altitude and not far from premier cru ‘Amoureuses.’ Soils here are thin, with the “mother rock” just a few inches from the surface.
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
A selection of fruit from vines on the lower slope of this grand cru vineyard, where soils are mostly limestone gravel, deep and mineral. Gorgeous texture and layers of flavor.
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 'Aux Charmes'
A selection of very old vines (some 100+ years) from lieu-dit ‘Aux Charmes’ (bordering grand cru Chambertin). East-facing; soils are ruddy and iron-rich, with limestone boulders underneath. This certainly lives up to its name (with an echo!) with creamy, pleasing red fruit and high-toned berry fruit aromas.
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 'Aux Mazoyères'
An extension of Charmes-Chambertin proper, Mazoyères-Chambertin borders Morey-Saint-Denis. All the grace and suave texture of Charmes with a little more purple fruited-depth and present tannins.
Echezeaux Grand Cru
in ‘Les Rouges’ and the upper portion of ‘Orveaux,’ are the deepest, with limestone marl and stones; the broad spectrum of terroir
represented by this selection offers a complete picture of the true Echezeaux.
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Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
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Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Does this legendary grand cru really need an introduction? Planted in the year 630 by Burgundian monks, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is truly a piece of Burgundy history. A rare gem and a cellar treasure.
Chambertin Grand Cru
One of Gevrey’s most prized grand cru vineyards, Chambertin represents the pinnacle of Pinot Noir in the Cote de Nuits. Soils are rich in limestone scree, lots of loose rocks, very mineral-rich. Chambertin was Napoleon’s favorite wine, which he made sure traveled with him during all his campaigns; Thomas Jefferson also was an avid fan, bringing bottles to the White House in 1803. A symphony of floral aromas, rose and violets, with a concentrated, layered palate and endless finish.
Winemaker: Frédéric Magnien
Region: France • Burgundy • Côte de Nuits • Morey-Saint-Denis
CERTIFIED ORGANIC
2015 Vintage: Aging in Clay Jars
Winemaker Fred Magnien as of the 2015 vintage has chosen to age some of his wines in terracotta “jarres,” as a logical next step following his conversion to organic/biodynamic winemaking. In doing so, Fred believes that his wines now reflect more purity of fruit and more direct terroir expression. For more background on this decision, read Fred’s own words here (PDF).
