Description
Lucien Muzard’s sons, Hervé and Claude run the domaine, now ninth generation growers that trace lineage in Santenay back to 1666. While they respect traditional wine-making practices, they also keep an open mind to modern changes in viniculture. In the vineyards they have greatly reduced grape yields with pruning to intensify flavour. In the cellar they have eliminated fining and only filter when strictly necessary. This is a source of spotlessly pure great value red Burgundy.
The domaine has fabulous holdings farmed on organic principles for over a decade and in 2011 achieved biodynamic certification. Claude describes a ‘traditional approach’ to winemaking; hand-harvesting, sorting and predominantly destemming the fruit – though a touch of whole bunch complexity here or in vintages when they consider fruit quality good enough. Fermentation relies on their native yeast populations, in temperature controlled (a nod to modernism) wooden fermenting tanks, and typically lasts about two weeks before pressing, settling and then placing the wines into barrels. As under screw cap the Muzard wines are often slightly reductive when first bottled as they retain plenty of carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine – so younger bottles will always benefit from decanting. The Muzard’s wines provide some of the finest value to be found from the Côte d’Or.
Rated top ten “Best value producers” Burgundy – Wine Report 2009 by Clive Coates MW
“Brothers Claude and Hervé have been in charge for a decade or so, during which they have established this domaine as arguably the best in the village—against fierce competition.” Clive Coates MW
2022 growing season was a solar season and delivered excellent quality of fruit.
About this wine: Les Cras comes from the word ‘craie’ which translates as lime and is a relatively low-lying vineyard towards the border with Volnay. The parcel covers 31 ares and the vines, which are on average more than 80 years old (most planted in 1922), are pruned in the single Guyot style. The ground is ploughed, the vines are debudded, trained, de-leafed, aerated and harvested by hand. The grapes are never crushed, a major part of the grapes is destemmed and we keep around 30% as whole bunches. Alcohol fermentation is achieved with indigenous yeast. The wine is subjected to gentle cap-punching or pigeage during vatting. After 18 to 20 days, we devat and blend free run wine with press wine for maturation in Burgundian oak barrels, 15 to 20% of which are new. Les Cras produces wines with a densely concentrated palate, marked by sweet blueberry and plum fruit, fine yet powerful tannins and a long minerally finish.
‘Made from 90 year old vines. Medium purple with a lighter rim. A little touch of new wood. The ripeness of the fruit and the age of the vines carries this over the structure of a Pommard, though that is still visible at the back. The energy is impressive. Thoroughly enjoyable even in the medium term. Drink from 2027-2032.’ (89-91 points) Jasper Morris MW, October 2023
RRP $262 Our Price $181.99 – VERY LIMITED!
