The Mugneret family is one of the storied families of Burgundy, deeply intertwined with its winemaking history. Pascal Mugneret, who today oversees Domaine Gérard Mugneret, is a cousin of the Mugneret sisters of Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg and shares the family vineyard patrimony in the prestigious village of Vosne-Romanée. The domaine, established by René Mugneret (uncle of Dr. Georges Mugneret) in the late 1960s, grew under his son Gérard’s stewardship beginning in 1973, and has now, under Pascal, ascended into Burgundy’s top tier. The estate spans approximately 7 hectares across some of the most renowned appellations in the Côte de Nuits, including Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, and Flagey-Echézeaux.
The vineyard holdings of Domaine Gérard Mugneret are notable for their diversity and exceptional terroir. They include five Premier Cru sites: Les Gravains in Savigny-les-Beaune, Les Charmes in Chambolle-Musigny, Les Boudots and La Richemone in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Les Brulées and Les Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. Additionally, the estate’s crown jewel is the Echézeaux Grand Cru vineyard.
The estate practices organic and biodynamic farming, though not certified. The soil is regularly plowed, and organic compost is used in lieu of chemical fertilizers. Cover crops are planted in and around the vines to combat erosion and improve soil health. The vines, averaging 40 to 45 years old, are pruned in the traditional Guyot manner, and are largely old vine and massale selections. They are hedged high at 1.7m, with trimming minimized to allow apical dominance.
Pascal has gradually increased the use of whole cluster fermentation (50 -100%), higher in warmer vintages, to preserve freshness and complexity. After a period of cold settling, fermentation proceeds with indigenous yeasts. The cuvaison period, which includes maceration and fermentation, lasts between 15 to 21 days. During this time, the cap is punched down gently, 3-4 times, and the developing wine is carefully monitored. Post-fermentation, the wine is lightly pressed in a pneumatic press and racked into oak barrels (33-50% new) and aged for 16 to 18 months, racked only once after malolactic fermentation. The regional appellations, such as Bourgogne AOC and Bourgogne Passetoutgrains, see no new oak and are aged for a shorter period. Sulfur use is kept to a minimum (less than 20 mg/L and well within natural wine limits), and the wines are bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
