2016 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru

Here too there is a whiff of reduction though here it's sufficiently subtle to still allow the spicy and overtly floral nose of red cherry, plum, sandalwood and a hint of exotic tea to be appreciated. There is both fine richness and energy to the beautifully textured and delineated middle weight flavors that possess a satiny mouthfeel while delivering excellent length on the impeccably well-balanced and superbly long finish. Like the Chambolle villages this is a relatively powerful incarnation of this wine as it's less fine than usual though still most impressive in its fashion.

Good bright medium red. Higher-pitched on the nose than the foregoing samples, offering scents of raspberry, rose petal and bitter chocolate. A step up in density and energy as well, showing more mineral and floral character to go with savory soil and chocolate nuances. Like the Fuées and Bonnes-Mares, this wine has alcohol close to 14%.

Barrel sample. Real subtlety and something more mineral about the nose than the Bonnes Mares. Silky and perfumed and very very Chambolle. Gorgeous sweetness and lift. So easy to see why it was an Amoureuses that led me to a life in wine! Still not that complex in flavour but the build is absolutely glorious. Ethereal. Transparent yet with beautiful, ripe red fruit. Elegance in a glass. Reminds him of 2009 but much fresher. Truly glorious. You wouldn’t necessarily guess it was more than 13.5%. Superb. (JR)