Burgundy Basics - Chambolle Musigny

Chambolle Musigny is village in the wine region of Cote de Nuits in Burgundy.   The name comes from the Grone stream, which would burst from the banks and flow down into the vineyards during stormy weather, resulting in boiling or bubbling fields (“Campus Ebulliens” or “Champ Bouillant" and the Celtic word "Cambola" meaning boiling fields.

Chambolle Musigny is 153 hectares in area, of which 55 hectares is Premier Cru and 24 hectares are the 2 grand crus (Musigny and Bonnes Mares).  There are 24 Premier Crus and the ones I focus on is Les Amoureuses, Les Charmes, Les Combottes and Les Cras.  It only produces red wines made with the Pinot Noir grape except for Musigny, which produces some white wines.

Chambolle Musigny wines have violets, raspberry and strawberry flavors and aromans.  On further aging, they develop spiced ripe fruits and prune notes or truffle, underbrush and animal tastes and aromas.  They are known to be quite elegant, aromatic and a little lighter in color compared to other Burgundy regions.

Chambolle Musigny is on the upper mid-slope of the Côte dOr hill at a height of 1,000 feet.  It has hot summers and cold winters with little rainfall. The temperature also fluctuates dramatically from high during the day to low during the night. The soil is well-drained with active chalk and a little clay

Chambolle Musigny pairs well with roast lamb, veal, pigeon, guinea fowl,  steak with mushrooms and duck with truffles.  It  also pairs well with cheeses like brie and camembert

Some top producers in the region include Domaine Comte George de Vogüé, Domaine Georges Roumier and Domaine Leroy. But don't forget about negociants like Drouhin and Faiveley, whose wines might be a bit more affordable.

One of my favourite sites for learning about Burgundy is the Vins de Bougogne wine site.  Please visit them at https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/ and search Chambolle Musigny for a map showing the lcoations of the various Grand Cru, Premier Cru and village vineyards.