2004 Domaine J-F Mugnier Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru "Clos de la Marechale" (scuffed & bin-soiled label, recessed cork)

The inaugural vintage of the Mugnier Clos de la Maréchale is evolving beautifully and will be a lovely bottle with another five years or so of bottle age. The nose is now quite classic and shows just the faintest touch of herbacité, but is essentially a clean and refined blend of black cherries, dark berries, a touch of peppercorn, espresso, woodsmoke and a fine base of complex soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still quite reserved on the attack, with lovely mid-palate depth, excellent balance, a bit or ripe tannin to resolve and fine length and grip on the soil-driven finish. Today the Clos de la Maréchale ’04 closes with just a touch of pepperiness, but I have to believe that this will continue to fade as the wine gets more bottle age.