The plan was to try to visit a couple of producers in Burgundy and then head down south to Beaujolais but my travel companion O, and I could only get one proper appointment before we left the states and that was at a cave that neither one of us knew too much about other than having an excellent reputation: Mugneret-Gibourg. My readers will find a theme here as we go along, but this is not only made by women --two sisters, but the whole facility is run by women from Grandma down to the kids. 
Domaines Mugneret-Gibourg was started before WWII with a small plot of Vosne-Romanée and since then various plots of premier cru vineyards have been added to the domaine's holdings . We tasted with Marie-Andrée Nauleau mostly from their tiny tanks.
Domaines Mugneret-Gibourg
2007 Bourgogne - light, floral, tense in the mid-palate. This was from the original Vosne-Romanée plot but this parcel was declassified in 1935.
2007 Vosne-Romanée
Their basic Vosne-Romanée and it is showing very nicely with dusty bramble overtones.
2007 Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru "Les Chaignots" - a little softer than the Vosne-Romanée but super-clean in the finish. Beginning to get some nice raspberry character This is a very elegant wine. Very good.
2007 Chambolle Musigny "Les Feisolettes" - earthy firm tannins are characteristic of this wine with blue and black berry flavors. Such a sweet nose. Very good.
2007 Nuits Dt. Georges "Les Vignerons"- Darker and denser than anything so far with tighter tannins. This one should go the long haul.
2007 Echezeaux Grand Cru - my favorite of the tasting with raspberry scents. Deep and dense from two parcels so you get the minerality from the slope and the maturity from the floor. This is a fabulous blend and it is the same one that Marie-Andrée's grandfather put together first many years ago. Excellent.
Next up were two different Chambertins from the same basic plot but the first made from younger grapes that can not be called "Ruchottes" and the other from older vines still classified. The young vine wine is called "Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru" 2007. This is a hugely complex wine, layered, chewy and thick. the 2007 Gevrey-Chambertin "Ruchottes" has even denser levels of black raspberries and and earthy base. Very good.
2007 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru from a plot from 1954 was very floral, refined and pretty.
2006 Nuit St. Geroges 1er Cru "Les Chaignots" - a little bit darker and settled, but not quite as elegant as the 2007s.
After a little snack in Beaune, we were off to Beaujolais in search of great natural wines and two nights in a row at the amazing Auberge du Cep in Fleurie.
The plan was to stay at Chateau Thivin and use that as our base for two days, but when we arrived, we discovered that two members of the family had booked the gite to two separate parties and we were out of luck. They found us a place in Montmerle called Hotel Emile Job and after our tasting, drove us there to make up for the error. We were hosted by the family's daughter in-law, a young woman from a Swiss winemaking family with a good command of English. There were two wines that I particularly liked.
2007 Chateau Thivin Côte de Brouilly "La Chapelle" - this is from a plot of land from volcanic basalt with lots of minerals and clove spiciness. Big and round, it has the aroma of a rasperry claflouti.
NV Chateau Thivin Brut de Gamay - very lively mousse in the mouth with a lovely dusty, Gamay nose. There is more than a touch of sweetness to this for a nice aperetif.
Auberge Du Cep - First Time
A lot has been written, all gushing reviews, from the likes of Apple in the NY Times, and wine/food writers that have come through Fleurie about this restaurant and its' iconoclastic owner/host/chef, Mm. Chantal Chengny. She smiles behind her dark glasses and instantly makes one feel at home, in her excellent English or her soft French.
While we were absorbing the staggering amount of local cru Beaujolais on the list, she sent out some amuse-bouches that made us instantly fall in love with the place for its unique simplicity and attention to flavor. On the plate were three tiny canapés; sweet onion confit, the best tapanade I've ever had, and one with a smear of fois gras. On the side were some slightly bigger toasts to pair with the radishes, fleur du sel, and stunning butter.
My first course was a generous bowl of white asparagus velouté with a few simple stalks of tender green asparagus floating inside. It's the simple things that impress. She got the bowl exactly the right temperature so that the soup was hot to the last drop, but not cooked on the side of the bowl.
Mm. Chengny is famous for serving the best frog's legs, so I had to have them. Fresh frog's legs when cooked properly, they are a treat and these were the best I will probably every have. She butchers her own frogs and lets them relax on ice for two days before delicately frying them in butter and serving them en Persillade. Sublime --and one of the best things I had in France this trip.
I went for the cheese: perfect Comté, one-day-old local Chèvre, both runny and firm St. Florian (like an epoisse) so we could taste both, and an incredible Bleu de Bresse. Great with the Foillard Morgon 2000. We also had a fresh farmers cheese with a tiny bit of white sugar on top which was so fresh and delicious!
Dessert was local cassis sorbet and vanilla ice cream with a fresh black cassis sauce, as good as it sounds. Here's the menu. This is a restaurant worth any amount of travel to. We were so lucky to have reservations for the next night too!
