Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

Allen Meadows, Burgundhound

Bettane & Desseauve 4**** stars 

 

From the village of Morey-Saint-Denis, the Magnien family has been working the vineyards of Burgundy for five generations. Frédéric Magnien joined his father Michel in the early 1990s, returning from winemaking experiences in California and Australia before completing his oenology studies in Burgundy. In 1995, he established his own négociant business, alongside his work with the family domaine.

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There are two distinct sides to the Magnien wines. Domaine Michel Magnien, recognised by its dark purple label, comes primarily from the family’s own vineyards, including parcels in some of the Côte de Nuits’ most celebrated Premier and Grand Cru sites. Maison Frédéric Magnien, identified by the white label, is the négociant side of the business, working with carefully selected grapes from growers across Burgundy. What makes Frédéric’s négociant wines particularly interesting is the level of involvement: he works with his growers throughout the growing season, from budbreak through to harvest and bottling, rather than simply purchasing finished fruit or wine. Both ranges are made in Morey-Saint-Denis, under Frédéric’s direction.

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The domaine remains the heart of the family story. Frédéric’s father Michel continues to oversee the vineyards, while Frédéric manages the cellar, bringing together his father’s meticulous vineyard work with his own restless curiosity as a winemaker. This partnership was recognised remarkably early, with the pair named “Wine Personalities of the Year” by The Wine Advocate in just their second year as estate bottlers.

Today, the domaine farms around 19 hectares across Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée, with vines in renowned vineyards including Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis and Charmes-Chambertin. Frédéric has maintained an average vine age of around 50 years and is particularly committed to preserving older vines.

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Frédéric’s approach has evolved considerably over the years. He began experimenting with organic farming in the late 1990s, with the domaine becoming certified organic in 2012 and biodynamic with Demeter in 2015. In the cellar, he has progressively moved away from new oak, believing that too much wood can obscure the character of the vineyard. Since 2015, the wines have been matured in used oak and, increasingly, terracotta jars. Today, the cellar contains around 240 small amphorae, which have become an important part of his pursuit of purity and transparency.

Frédéric is something of a character in Burgundy, endlessly curious and unafraid to question convention. His wines share that sense of personality. As one long-time observer of the domaine put it, the appeal of a Michel Magnien wine ultimately comes down to Frédéric himself: an unusually expressive winemaker whose wines, particularly those made from the family vineyards, have an exceptional ability to communicate the character of their terroir.

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The result is a collection of Burgundies with real clarity and individuality. There is plenty of pedigree here, but what makes the wines compelling is Frédéric’s determination to let that pedigree speak for itself, with less winemaking intervention and less oak standing between the vineyard and the glass. La Revue des Vins de France has recently praised the domaine’s elegance and depth, while Bettane et Desseauve awarded it four stars, noting the increasingly important role of terracotta in its distinctive style.

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For us, these are wines that offer a particularly rewarding way into Burgundy, whether you are discovering the region for the first time or already know your Premier and Grand Crus. There is history in the bottle, but also a winemaker who is still asking questions.

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White grape: Chardonnay

Red grape: Pinot Noir

https://www.domaine-magnien.com/en/​

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