(Originally published 31 December 2017.)
As with virtually everywhere in Chambolle-Musigny, the vines suffered greatly from the April 27/28 frost, especially from sunburn as the sun passed through the ice. Overall loss was 70% of a normal crop (that is, production was only 30% of a normal crop). Even that could have been worse, but as with other producers I visited, the second crop manage to catch up to the first crop by harvest, which began on 24 September. Because the first and second crop were at the same state of maturity, the grapes from the second crop were included in the wine.
As with virtually everywhere in Chambolle-Musigny, the vines suffered greatly from the April 27/28 frost, especially from sunburn as the sun passed through the ice. Overall loss was 70% of a normal crop (that is, production was only 30% of a normal crop). Even that could have been worse, but as with other producers I visited, the second crop manage to catch up to the first crop by harvest, which began on 24 September. Because the first and second crop were at the same state of maturity, the grapes from the second crop were included in the wine.
Other than the Bonnes-Mares, no pigeage (punching down) was used on these wines. Malolactic fermentations finished in June and July, which is normal for de Vogüé.
Technical director François Millet has become known for his poetic descriptions of each vintage. For 2016, he said the message is the month of May: not too hot, not too cold, lots of flowers.
2016 Chambolle-Musigny
The dark fruit aromas are spicy. The mouth is pure, even crystalline, in its strawberry and blackberry fruit. the wine is fresh, calm, and mineral. Normally, the village wine has 15% new oak, but as there were only three barrels, no new barrels were used (33% new oak was deemed too high). (90-93)
2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
This wine, as always, is from Musigny vines that are less than twenty-five years-old. The nose here is floral. The mouth is more intense, deep, and concentrated than that of the village wine, and Musigny velvet texture comes through. The fruit is red berries, especially pomegranate, and there is a little dark fruit. Very good minerality here, too. Even considered as a Musigny, this would be a good example. (92-96)
2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
The nose of the Amoureuses is energetic and floral. The mouth shows strawberry fruit with minerality, lightness on the palate, and great length. The wine keeps developing as it sits in the mouth, and it is dense and concentrated. But this wine is less developed at this time than the foregoing. It is a great year for Amoureuses, and this one sits in near the top. The vines here date to 1974 and 1964. The frost damage was less severe here than for the other vineyards, but because holdings are small, no new oak was used, as a single barrel would have given too high a percentage (usually 20% new oak for this wine). (94-97)
2016 Bonnes-Mares
For Bonnes-Mares in 2016, the general rule was closer one was to Morey-Saint-Denis, the less damaging the frost was. De Vogüé’s Bonnes-Mares, unfortunately, is at the southern limit of appellation, and so as far from Morey as one can get. But what little was produced is truly magnificent. The nose is floral. In the mouth, the wine shows lightness on the palate but density of fruit and very good concentration. There’s more structure here than in the foregoing wines, with strawberry, red cherry, and blueberry fruit, and great length. (94-98)
2016 Musigny Vieilles Vignes
The Musigny shows floral aromas with spices, especially ginger. The mouth is broad and extremely concentrated with dark fruits. The wine has plenty of structure, depth, length, and freshness. (94-98)