Freddy Mugnier is one of the most iconic producers of red Burgundy, and we will not waste your time with accounts of his storied vineyards in Chambolle Musigny. Sorry, we don’t have any Chambolle to offer.

Today, we will head south from Chambolle, passing through Vosne Romanee to arrive at the village of Nuits-St.-Georges. In this village, we first encounter the very Vosne-like vineyards that directly abut some of Vosne’s finest sites. Those vineyards are premier crus with names like Boudots and Damodes.

Keep going, cross the buildings of the village itself, and we get to the core of Nuits-St.-Georges. Here, the very structured Pinot Noirs that have given Nuits-St.-Georges its reputation are made, from sites like Les-Saints-Georges and Les Vaucrains.

Go further south still, and we get to the AOC’s most southerly third, near the village of Premeaux. Here, something strange happens. The wines are no longer big and burly, and they are certainly no longer Vosne-like. Here, the fruit is redder, and the aromatics are more floral. It’s almost like you are back in Chambolle.

Frederic Mugnier has held vines in the premier cru of Marechale in this part of Nuits-St-Georges for a long time, but until early in this millennium, he allowed Domaine Faiveley to make and bottle the wines. Back then, Faiveley was known for its big and burly wines almost no matter what the terroir, so the Marechale-esque side of the wine was never fully recognizable.

But today, Marechale is back in Mugnier’s hands, and Freddy himself is making the wines. Using the same extremely light touch that he employs for his Chambolle Musigny, Mugnier is able to coax Mareachale’s more feminine side.

It is a truly elegant and glorious red Burgundy, and by far the most accessible and affordable in Mugnier’s lineup:

Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Nuits St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale 2020 $159.99
"An exceptionally pretty, indeed even perfumed, aromas of red and dark currant, newly turned earth and subtle anise hints. The refined and intense flavors are not especially dense, but they possess that beguiling sense of underlying tension that carries over to the dusty, youthfully austere and lingering finish. Like several of these 2020s, this is understated and harmonious.90-92" (Burghound)