1997 Denis Mugneret Richebourg

Denis Mugneret was for most of the mid-to-late 20th century the name of the domaine now known as Dominique Mugneret. The 20-acre estate based in Vosne-Romanee was founded in 1935 when Marcel Mugneret created Domaine Marcel Mugneret. As it was passed from father to son, the estate became Domaine Denis Mugneret and then, in the late 1990s when Dominique Mugneret took over, the estate’s name was changed to reflect the new generation at the helm. Today the estate makes wine from 13 Cote de Nuits appellations. It has a Grand Cru parcels in Echezeaux and Romanee-St.-Vivant, and Premier Crus in Nuits St. Georges. There are also village wines. Some 3,125 cases are produced annually.

Richebourg is an 18.3-acre Grand Cru pinot noir vineyard in the Cote de Nuits, within the commune of Vosne-Romanee. The vineyard lies just to the north of La Romanee and Romanee-Conti and is situated at elevations from 260 to 280 meters. The soil is a clay, pebble, limestone and sand mixture. Richebourg includes the subsection of Les Veroilles-sous-Richebourg. Principal landholders of Richebourg are Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, with 8.78 acres; Leroy, with 1.95 acres; and Gros Frere et Soeur, with 1.73 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.