Michel Magnien

History of Domaine Michel Magnien

The history of Domaine Michel Magnien has its roots in the winemaking tradition of Morey-Saint-Denis, where the family has been established for four generations. Born in 1946, Michel Magnien represents the fourth generation, succeeding his father Bernard Magnien, owner of four hectares. From 1967 to 1991, Michel and his wife Dominique patiently acquired prestigious parcels across the Côte de Nuits, gradually assembling an exceptional viticultural mosaic comprising Grands Crus, Premiers Crus and village climats.

The estate's major turning point came in 1993, when Frédéric Magnien, Michel's son and representative of the fifth generation, joined the estate and convinced his father to vinify and bottle the entire harvest on-site, ending deliveries to the cooperative. Frédéric, trained alongside Josh Jensen in California and Garry Farr in Australia, brought back from his travels a confident vision of viticulture and an interest in organic and biodynamic farming. The estate adopted organic viticulture in 2008, certified by Ecocert from 2012, then biodynamics from 2010, certified Demeter in 2015. Today, Frédéric guides the estate with exacting standards, continuing his father's work and raising the cuvées to the highest level of quality.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Michel Magnien

The vineyard of Domaine Michel Magnien covers eighteen to nineteen hectares spread across the Côte de Nuits, between Marsannay, Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. This mosaic of 23 appellations includes three emblematic Grands Crus (Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Charmes-Chambertin), numerous Premiers Crus, village wines and regional AOCs, making the estate one of the most complete properties on the Côte de Nuits.

The average age of the vines reaches fifty years, and Frédéric Magnien proudly asserts a conviction: "uprooting old vines is not my job". The soils, predominantly clay-limestone with a great variety of aspects and depths, are worked in strict accordance with the principles of biodynamic farming: no pesticides or insecticides, soil dynamisation, and attention paid to biodiversity and the rhythm of the plant. Each parcel is treated as a unique entity, in respect of its climat and its personality.

Vinifications of Domaine Michel Magnien

In the cellar, Frédéric Magnien extends the work carried out in the vineyard with precise and delicate vinification. The harvest, exclusively manual, gives rise to rigorous sorting. The Pinot Noir is partially destemmed, in varying proportions depending on the site and the vintage, with Frédéric favouring the use of well-ripened stems that integrate harmoniously into the wine and add length. Extractions are gentle, conducted with patience to respect the fruit and the substance.

Ageing represents the great originality of the estate: over the past several years, Frédéric Magnien has progressively replaced oak barrels with terracotta and ceramic jars. This inert vessel, which imparts neither woody notes nor wood tannins, allows for ideal micro-oxygenation and preserves the purity of the fruit and the typicity of each terroir. In addition, the wines are aged in old barrels to refine their mineral identity. This unique signature in Burgundy gives birth to wines of striking vivacity and assertive character, where the climat expresses itself unfiltered.

The cuvées of Domaine Michel Magnien

Marsannay (red): an entry-level cuvée from the most northerly village of the Côte de Nuits, this Marsannay offers a nose of fresh red fruits, a supple and refreshing palate punctuated by a lovely minerality.

Fixin (red): a village-level Pinot Noir from Fixin, this wine stands out for its fuller structure, its nose of black fruits and spices, and a taut palate supported by firm tannins.

Côte de Nuits-Villages (red): a multi-parcel blend of great accessibility, this wine combines generous fruitiness, freshness and beautiful textural purity.

Chambolle-Musigny (red): a pure expression of Chambolle finesse, this village wine unfolds a floral and fruity nose of great elegance and a silky, refined palate.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers: the pinnacle of finesse at the estate, this Premier Cru seduces with its aromatic complexity, its notes of small red fruits, violet and gentle spices, its velvety texture and its chiselled length.

Gevrey-Chambertin (red): a village-level Pinot Noir from Gevrey, rich and deep, marked by fleshy black fruits, a dense substance and velvety tannins.

Gevrey-Chambertin Seuvrées Vieilles Vignes: a single-parcel selection from old vines, this Gevrey offers a fresh, mineral nose, a straight, nervous and taut palate, in fine balance.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers: a great Premier Cru of Gevrey, this wine stands out for its controlled power, its ample and structured tannins, and a long finish marked by red fruits and spices.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots: a Premier Cru renowned for its finesse and freshness, it delivers a more airy than average Gevrey, elegant and precise.

Morey-Saint-Denis (red): a blend of four village parcels (Clos Solon, Chenevery, Les Crais, Les Cognées) on deep clay soils, this village wine offers a generous texture, notes of blackberry and black cherry and a silky palate.

Morey-Saint-Denis Très Girard: a single-parcel cuvée from the lower part of the climat, marked by a subtle freshness, with a predominance of small red fruits, a slightly animal finish and a fine structure.

Morey-Saint-Denis Blanc Monts Luisants: a rare white Morey-Saint-Denis, sourced from the Monts Luisants climat. Its pale colour, mineral and floral nose, concentrated and balanced palate make it an exceptional white wine and a remarkable value for money.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots: a Premier Cru with a concentrated ruby colour, a nose marked by blackcurrant and toasted notes, a fluid palate with fine tannins, finishing with a beautiful minerality.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes: an emblematic Premier Cru of the estate, it unfolds a rich aromatic profile of black fruits and spices, an ample structure and great length.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Blanchards: a Premier Cru renowned for its balance, its supple tannins, its nose of ripe red fruits and its lovely freshness on the finish.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Aux Charmes: a Premier Cru neighbouring the Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin, it reveals a subtle nose, an elegant and refined palate — the signature of the estate's purity.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Climats d'Or: a single-parcel Premier Cru of dense and noble substance, marked by great aromatic depth and fine ageing potential.

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru: the flagship Grand Cru of the estate, this Clos de la Roche stands out for its silky mouthfeel, its spiced and fruity nose, its great refinement and exceptional length, capable of rivalling the finest signatures of the appellation.

Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru: another jewel of the estate, this Grand Cru unfolds a nose of great elegance, marked by noble spices, a muscular and structured palate, an imposing body and impressive length.

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru: a Grand Cru from Gevrey, this wine impresses with its delicacy and finesse, its complex nose of black fruits, its silky substance and its lingering finish.