2012 Musigny Grand Cru

Domaine Drouhin appointed a new vineyard manager in 2012, as Xavier Guiraud retired after 14 years with the company, said Frederic Drouhin, and the new manager "saw everything in his first year--not to mention his second.In 2012, we had 80% impact from hail in some areas; coulure and millerandage; mildew and oidium pressures.A heat spike in August further cut the crop but did not cause rot.Good weather in September saved the harvest."The hailed-on grapes, added Drouhin, were very ripe and had good skin maturity.Winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac did little in the way of cold maceration, vinified most of his cuvees with 10% to 20% whole clusters, and carried out some additional maceration after the end of the fermentations "because the wines were gaining in volume every day."Needless to say, the Cote de Beaune reds are a mixed bag in 2012, but the estate's wines from the Cote de Nuits display the intensity and full ripeness of the vintage.