Viniou Reviews
Domaine Stephane Magnien’s Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru “Les Faconnières” 2020 is an exquisite Burgundy red that eloquently reflects its prestigious origins. Crafted exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes, as tradition dictates in the Côte de Nuits, this Premier Cru comes from the renowned Les Faconnières climat, a site celebrated for producing wines of both elegance and depth. The 2020 vintage benefited from a warm, sunny growing season, resulting in grapes with excellent ripeness and concentration. Vinification is typically respectful of tradition here, favouring gentle extraction to highlight the purity of fruit, subtle floral aromas, and the intricate minerality so characteristic of this terroir.
The Côte de Nuits is arguably the heartland of great red Burgundies, running along a narrow, limestone-rich escarpment north of Beaune. Morey-Saint-Denis, nestled between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, stands out for its ability to craft wines that balance the muscular power of the former with the silkier elegance of the latter. The soils here combine limestone with clay and pebbles, ensuring excellent drainage and imparting a beautiful minerality to the wines. The region’s semi-continental climate, with warm summers and cool nights, allows Pinot Noir to ripen slowly, preserving aromatic complexity and freshness. Morey-Saint-Denis’ long history in winegrowing, dating back to medieval times, underpins the depth of experience embodied in this Premier Cru.
Such a refined and expressive wine pairs particularly well with classic Burgundian dishes like coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon, where the wine’s acidity and red fruit harmonise with the richness of the sauce. Alternatively, try it with roasted duck breast, pigeon, or simply a mushroom risotto to accentuate its earthy undertones. For a local cheese pairing, opt for Époisses or a well-matured Comté.
To experience the full nuance of “Les Faconnières”, serve it at 15-17°C. Decanting for thirty minutes will help awaken its aromatic subtleties and soften youthful tannins. This wine is already charming in its youth but has fine ageing potential; cellaring for up to a decade will reveal further layers of complexity.
