Bright, dark red. Distinctly cooler and more medicinal on the nose than the Amoureuses. Spicier and tighter on the palate, showing some exhilarating high tones and a hint of medicinal herbs but less of the premier cru's early sweetness and sex appeal. In a more muscular style, yet it conveys an impression of weightlessness in spite of its outstanding density. More salty and soil-inflected on the finish than the Amoureuses, with a powerful tannic spine that should carry it for a long time. This could hardly be more different than the Amoureuses today.

The 2013 Musigny is a classic Mugnier wine; understated, elusive, but also striking in its beauty. All the elements fall into place in a gracious, impeccable Burgundy that captivates all the senses. Silky tannins wrap around the inviting finish. A model of total grace, the Musigny is also surprisingly open and expressive today, even if the structural elements are very much in evidence. What a thrill it will be to watch the 2013 develop over the coming decades.

The 2013 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru will be released with Mugnier’s forthcoming 2018s. “Twenty or thirty years ago, the 2013 would have been a total catastrophe,” he told me in his barrel cellar. “I am surprised by the presence and substance of the wine, which has high acidity yet is quite restrained. I think the five years of aging have softened the edges.” The 2013 has an attractive and very tertiary-inspired bouquet that evokes images of strolling through a woodland in autumn, red berry fruit tinged with decayed brown leaves, damp soil and morels, and also touches of bay leaf and jasmine tea. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly rustic bent for a Musigny, though as Mugnier mentioned, it is underpinned by an almost racy sense of acidity that might be off-putting to those who prefer a denser, fruitier style. The fruit is a little darker than suggested by the nose, presenting a soupçon of meat juices and plenty of undergrowth notes on the finish. This is not a Musigny with the utmost finesse and grace, yet it brims with character. While it does possess the substance to age in bottle, the 2013 supports Mugnier’s policy of allowing this particular cru to mature for five or six years before release. That said, I would afford it another five or six years’ maturation.

Another cool vintage, with a leafy nose, this is light to medium-bodied, lean and restrained and probably not quite ripe. It was picked on the 17th of October, very late by today’s standards. Elegant if somewhat brittle, I don’t expect this will improve much.