Joseph Drouhin : Musigny Grand cru 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for Joseph Drouhin’s Musigny Grand Cru 2021

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep ruby-red hue with brilliant highlights.

Nose

The nose opens with delicate aromas of violet and cherry pit. With aeration, the bouquet gradually develops toward more complex notes. After eight to ten years of cellaring, these initial fragrances will evolve into refined expressions suggesting dead leaves, damp earth, moss, and subtle hints of fur.

Palate

On the palate, this wine stands out for its unmatched finesse and harmony. The tannins, elegant and lively, are matched by a silky, velvety texture. The bright acidity brings freshness and structure, ensuring remarkable balance. The lingering finish reveals notes of rare exotic woods and candied cherry.

Food and wine pairings

This Musigny Grand Cru is an ideal match for roasted poultry, duck with fruit, white meats in a light sauce, as well as dishes featuring wild mushrooms. It also pairs beautifully with soft-ripened cheeses such as brie or Camembert, as well as aged cheeses like Comté.

Serving and cellaring

Musigny Grand Cru 2021 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Aerating for thirty to sixty minutes before serving allows its aromatic complexity to fully express itself. This wine can be enjoyed until around 2041, with cellaring potential that may extend to around 2051 under optimal storage conditions.

A Musigny Grand Cru of exceptional elegance and finesse

The estate

Founded in 1880 in Beaune by Joseph Drouhin, the House Joseph Drouhin has gradually established itself as one of Burgundy’s essential references. Now led by the family’s fourth generation—Philippe Drouhin in the vineyards, Véronique Boss-Drouhin in winemaking, Laurent Drouhin in business development, and Frédéric Drouhin as President—the House farms around one hundred hectares of vineyards across more than sixty appellations, including fourteen grands crus. A pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture in Burgundy from the late 1980s onward, Maison Joseph Drouhin embodies a philosophy of natural elegance and respect for terroir, while extending its expertise as far as Oregon.

The vineyard

Musigny is one of the most prestigious grands crus in Burgundy, located in the commune of Chambolle-Musigny. This outstanding terroir covers around eleven hectares and enjoys a remarkable geographic position on a rocky limestone terrace overlooking Clos de Vougeot. East-facing with a gentle slope, the vineyard rests on brown limestone soils scattered with stones and low in clay, which give the wines their signature elegance and refinement. The name Musigny derives from the Latin “Monticulus,” meaning small mountain. The vines are farmed according to organic and biodynamic principles, with high planting densities that encourage deep root systems and optimal expression of the terroir.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy proved particularly challenging. Spring frosts during budbreak, followed by hail episodes and unprecedented downy mildew pressure due to exceptional humidity, significantly reduced yields. These weather conditions resulted in the smallest harvest Burgundy has seen in several decades. Despite these challenges, rigorous grape selection and the exclusion of certain plots whose quality did not meet the House’s standards made it possible to preserve excellence.

Winemaking and aging

The Musigny Grand Cru 2021 harvest was carried out by hand in small perforated crates, with meticulous sorting in the vineyard and then in the cellar to keep only perfectly healthy, ripe grapes. Winemaking used between 20 and 50% whole clusters, depending on the specific assessment of the vintage. Fermentation and maceration took place over two to three weeks in small open-top vats, using exclusively indigenous yeasts naturally present. Traditional punch-downs and pump-overs enabled gentle extraction. Vertical pressing was followed by aging for sixteen to twenty months in French oak barrels, 30% new oak and 70% barrels used for one wine or more. The wood comes from French forests, selected standing and seasoned outdoors for three years.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir