Full medium red. Compellingly fresh, complex nose combines wild raspberry, minerals, smoked meat and mint. Wonderfully fine-grained and sappy, with its red berry, coffee and leather flavors conveying a distinctly youthful character. Boasts a terric spine of firm, integrated acidity and suave tannins and builds slowly and steadily on the rising finish. Great class here. Frédéric Mugnier recalled that he was quite happy with the quality of the 2001 tannins at the beginning and that he loves this vintage. "The wines were always very pretty but now they show more structure," he told me. He added that he would still wait longer to drink this wine "for more complexity and polish."

The 2001 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is such a pretty wine that is probably reaching its peak. Pure and airy red berry fruit, light touches of sous-bois and tobacco discretely unfold in the glass but never press down too hard on the accelerator. The palate is taut and linear, with little depth or grip, yet beautifully balanced with a somewhat understated, classically styled finish. Just a lovely Pinot Noir.

“A vintage that got no respect,” according to Mugnier, but this wine, like many other Grand Crus, has developed very nicely. Yes, it’s cool and the fruit is subdued, with a bit of a bitter note in the middle, but it’s very pretty overall, medium-bodied and floral, with very soft tannins.

Full bottle 1,393 g. Pale ruby. Light, fresh, almost green, restrained nose followed by beautiful precision on the palate. Ethereal leading to a bit more weight than initially suggested. Hint of orange peel on the end. So complete! (JR)