Chambolle-Musigny
The Chambolle-Musigny appellation – created along with the first wave of French AOCs in 1936 – covers 152.64 hectares, including 56.33 hectares classified as premier cru. In total, it is home to 24 premier crus and two of the most prestigious grand crus – Musigny (10.7 hectares) and Bonnes-Mares (15 hectares). Two of its premier crus – Les Amoureuses (5.4 hectares) and Les Charmes (9.3 hectares) – are particularly renowned and almost as highly reputed as the grand crus.
Located in the heart of Burgundy’s Côte-de-Nuits, between Morey-Saint-Denis and Vougeot, the Chambolle-Musigny winegrowing area lies on either side of the famous Route des Grands Crus. Its slopes are mostly east- or southeast-facing, providing the vines with good exposure to the sun. As is often the case, the village appellation climats (or plots) tend to be located towards the bottom of the hillsides. The soils here are much deeper and have a higher clay content than in the middle of the hillsides (where the grand cru and premier cru plots are found), and particularly than the upper slopes. Indeed, mid-way up the slopes, you find the finest Chambolle-Musigny climats, where Pinot Noir flourishes at an altitude of 250 to 350 metres, on thin, well-drained soils composed of limestone and gravel, and sometimes marl, sand, and silt.
Chambolle-Musigny is renowned for being a particularly refined and complex style of wine, with a delicate, “lace-like” texture and subtle aromas of red berries.
Among the best producers in Chambolle-Musigny are the Leroy estates (with their famous Musigny, which is regularly the most expensive wine of the year), Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Comte Georges de Voguë, Georges Roumier, Jacques Prieur, and Arnoux-Lachaux.
