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
North of Santenay village, 1re Cru Clos Faubard sits up high, where the slope climbs into scrub land. Unique soil here has the same Bajocian marl limestone found in the Côte de Nuits and not found elsewhere in the Côte de Beaune, giving Faubard’s wine a distinct density and spicy minerality. The domaine, one of only three owners of this vineyard, has 1.47 hectares of old vines at this fine site and makes roughly 750 cases each year.
2016 growing season delivered exceptional quality of fruit although minuscule yields due to frost.
40% whole bunch fermentation followed by 12 months maturation in 30% new barriques. Vibrant red fruit leads to a densely packed, mineral inflected palate of great purity and terrific length.
Wow quality and value in spades here…. at a quarter the price of 1re Cru Gevrey ! Don’t miss this bargain. Under Stelvin. One for the cellar.
Very limited $84.99
(Also available as Special 6 Bottle or more buy … Click here)
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.