2022 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

“The disease pressures, oïdium, was quite high; that was stressful,” winemaker Jean Lupatelli tells me. “We were happy to have a normal crop, around 35hL/ha. We did quite a strict green harvest, which we haven’t done for a long time. With Eric Bourgogne, [vineyard manager since 1996], we want to make sure we have six bunches on each vine to maintain more uniform quality. We started picking on August 29 with the younger vines and then broaching different plots depending on the ripeness, finishing seven days later with the Chambolle Village. The malo was very early in the beginning of December, whereas before, it wasn’t until spring. We worked like the previous vintages with half whole clusters, and we changed the organization of the Musigny according to the origin of vine to make seven different cuvées, also for the Bonnes-Mares that had three different cuvées. The wines are matured in 30% to 40% new oak.”

To my surprise, during my early November tasting, Lupatelli informed me that he had already bottled the Chambolle-Musigny Village and Bonnes-Mares. The former, I can understand. But I raise a proverbial eyebrow at the decision to bottle the latter. A week earlier, a notable winemaker had admonished anyone who denies their wines a second winter in barrel. Tasting these two wines, especially juxtaposed against de Vogüé’s other cuvées, I can’t help but think that longer in barrel would have enhanced them. One can conjecture a case of a lack of space, given the plenitude of the 2023 vintage. Whatever the reason, my scores reflect my reservation, which may prove my doubts unfounded. The quality of the inchoate Chambolle Premier Cru and Les Amoureuses, both gestating in barrel, highlighted their differences and testified to Lupatelli’s positive changes since he replaced François Millet. Readers should note that the only reason I cannot score the Musigny Vieilles Vignes is because the final cuvée had not been made. I would rather revisit the wine once in bottle, even though the component parts bode well.