WTN: 2017 Stephane Magnien MSD - The point is finally made

I've intermittently dabbled in the Stephane Magnien wines over the past 10 years. I have always respected and appreciated the style, but never been downright thrilled with a bottle. Never knew if the wines needed more age to come together, or if I wasn't trying the right cuvees at the right time.

Well this spring was a great time to be drinking the 2017 Stephane Magnien MSD Cuvee Aux Petites Noix, and I had a few bottles that were glorious from the first sip to the last. Ripe and friendly with fairly dark berry aromas and flavors, but also plenty of fresh focused grip and certainly not loose or facile. Develops into a more layered wine with hours of air and I would love to have more. Exactly the wine to open for easy Burgundy elegance.

Even though it was just one cuvee in one vintage caught at the right time, the pleasures were so great that they re-inspired me to try more!

[David M. Bueker]

The spark that lit the flame.

MSD = Morey Saint-Denis. I had to resort to Google to figure that out.

That's awfully young for a premier cru from the Cote de Nuits.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

MSD = Morey Saint-Denis. I had to resort to Google to figure that out.

-Paul W.

Really?

It's pretty common shorthand.

That's awfully young for a premier cru from the Cote de Nuits.

Too young was always my impression when drinking his other wines. That may have been because I caught the village wines too late or from more austere vintages, or was opening his 'higher level' premier crus (Les Faconnières and Monts Luisants in Morey or Les Sentiers in Chambolle) too early.

But this Petites Noix cuvee (a blend of Clos Baulet and Les Gruenchers) is pretty accessible now, so I certainly didn't mind drinking these bottles and would do so again if I had more! That said, depends on palate and plenty of material for further aging.

[David M. Bueker]

2017 has been pretty friendly from the get go.