Domaine Henri Magnien

  • Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France
Domaine Henri Magnien
  • As I wrote last year, Charles Magnien continues his rapid ascent through the Burgundian firmament. The vineyard work here is serious: the vines hedged comparatively high, with cultivated soils and planted with the family's own massal selections. In the brand-new cuverie, first employed in 2019, vinification is gentle, with fermentation temperatures kept comparatively cool and pump-overs rather than punch-downs. New oak, largely from Tonnellerie Cavin, is increasingly deftly employed. And the result? 2020 marks a step up even over the very successful 2019s, as Magnien's supple, seamless style has married very well with the concentration and vibrancy of the vintage. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

Charles Magnien’s family has been in Gevrey Chambertin since 1656, making Charles the twelfth generation at the helm. They have seven hectares of vines in some key vineyards: the grand cru Ruchottes, and premiers crus Lavaut Saint Jacques, Cazetiers and Champeaux. Charles also recently added a hectare further south in the grand cru of Corton and a premier cru in Aloxe-Corton in the Côte de Beaune.

The Magnien holdings in the famous Gevrey vineyards garner most of the attention and understandably so--but equally significant for them is their very old and special Pinot Noir vines. In 1850, the family discovered a unique Pinot Noir mutation in their vineyards. It even came to be named “Pinot Magnien” after the family. Pinot Magnien fruit from vines over 100 years old is part of not only their Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes cuvée but also their premier cru Cazetiers. Whenever a vine needs to be replaced anywhere on the estate, it’s done with a massale selection from their Pinot Magnien. Fruit from vines adapted so closely to their specific terroir and climate over generations can yield the most compelling of wines.

Charles is an innovator. He took over from his father in 2009 and immediately began investing his energy and efforts in the vineyards. He follows organic farming practices (though will use a non-organic treatment when necessary). He bought two new tractors and started working with a higher canopy. He is experimenting with different techniques to combat frost. One is a giant fan blowing hot air over the vineyard; another is a coil running along the trellis wires to warm attached canes when the temperature drops too low. In 2018, Charles built a new cellar, giving him more space to work and allowing him to age the wines longer.

In the cellar, Charles does cold macerations for seven to ten days, then spontaneous fermentations in stainless steel tanks. Some vintages are destemmed completely, while others will include up to 40% of stems if they have ripened correctly (the exception being the “4 Carac’terres” that is made exclusively with whole clusters). As for barrels, Charles cares more about the origin of the oak than about barrel age. He does not want to make oaky wines but does care about oak’s ability to introduce some oxygen into them. The barrels in rotation in the cellar are generally new to two years old.

Charles is the first in the Magnien family to bottle their whole range, rather than selling off fruit or wine. Jasper Morris MW states in his book Inside Burgundy that Charles “makes a very good range of wines, with an exceptional Cazetiers.” William Kelley of the Wine Advocate writes “Charles Magnien continues his rapid ascent through the Burgundian firmament.” With well over ten vintages under his belt, he has led the Henri Magnien wines to be recognized as some of the best in Gevrey-Chambertin.

Image Producer PRODUCT Description Country / Region

DB4762-23
Magnien, Henri Côte de Nuits Villages Clos F. Thurot
2023
Pinot Noir
100% crinoidal limestone. Enclosed vineyard planted north/south. Located above the village of Brochon and a few meters from Fixin. Cold...
France

DB5380-23
VM:90
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin
2023
Pinot Noir
A blend of 6 different plots from the bottom of the hillside, consisting entirely of clay soil. Aged for twelve months in French oak, 25%...
France

DB5383-23
VM:91+
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
2023
Pinot Noir
A younger vineyard, 35 years-old, but charming and complex in its youth. Aged for twelves months in barrel, 50% new.
France

DB5391-22
Magnien, Henri Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru La Coutiere
2022
Pinot Noir
Beautiful plot of .75 hectare planted with 60 year-old vines facing east at an altitude of 340m in the town of Ladoix-Serrigny. The name...
France

DB5391-23
Magnien, Henri Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru La Coutiere
2023
Pinot Noir
Beautiful plot of .75 hectare planted with 60 year-old vines facing east at an altitude of 340m in the town of Ladoix-Serrigny. The name...
France

DB5393-22
Magnien, Henri Corton Grand Cru Les Grandes Lolieres
2022
Pinot Noir
From a special 100 year-old vine triangle-shaped site at 400 meters elevation. Reddish-brown soil. Clay-limestone subsoil with gray...
France

DB5393-23
VM:93
Magnien, Henri Corton Grand Cru Les Grandes Lolieres
2023
Pinot Noir
From a special 100 year-old vine triangle-shaped site at 400 meters elevation. Reddish-brown soil. Clay-limestone subsoil with gray...
France

DB5384-22
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
2022
Pinot Noir
From seven parcels which cover the four main soil types in Cazetiers: sandy marl, crinoidial limestone, Premeaux limestone, and marl with...
France

DB5384-23
VM:94
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
2023
Pinot Noir
From seven parcels which cover the four main soil types in Cazetiers: sandy marl, crinoidial limestone, Premeaux limestone, and marl with...
France

DB5382-23
VM:93
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier
2023
Pinot Noir
From vines averaging 55 years-old, grown in crinoidal limestone soil. Only indigenous yeasts used during fermentations, aging for twelve...
France

DB5381-23
VM:91
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
2023
Pinot Noir
From eight different parcels, which cover 1.82 hectares total. The oldest vineyard was planted in 1915. Aged for twelve months in barrel,...
France

DB5390-23
VM:96
Magnien, Henri Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2023
Pinot Noir
0.1631 hectares on 50% Oolithe Blanches / 50% Premeaux limestone soils. Cold maceration, alcoholic fermentation using indigenous yeasts...
France

DB5386-23
VM:93
Magnien, Henri Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint Jacques
2023
Pinot Noir
60 year-old vines from clay-limestone soil. Aged for twelve months in barrel, 25% new. The most delicate and elegant of the Domaine’s...
France