The 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin les Cazetiers comes from a vineyard populated by vines up to 80 years old. It has a fragrant bouquet with small dark cherries, boysenberry jam and a touch of iodine that opens nicely in the glass. The palate is underpinned by a fine lattice of tannins and acidity, although the oak is presently protruding on the finish and will need to be fully integrated over the next 12 months. Wait and see.

According to Frederic Magnien, the 2012 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru les Cazetiers went through a later malolactic than his other 2012s. The nose is controlled and focused with minerally red berry fruit, crushed roses and a pinch of sea salt. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp taut tannins, plenty of freshness and a joyful, citris, orange zest tinged finish that is pleasantly long. This might well be Frederic's best 2012.

The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers possesses tons of concentration, weight and intensity, but little in the way of vineyard character, which is a shame given the pedigree of this site. The tannins show considerably less polish than most of the other wines in this lineup. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022. My tasting with Frederic Magnien spanned several dozen offerings. Magnien bottles two lines; the Domaine Michel Magnien range is made from estate-owned vineyards, while the Maison Frederic Magnien wines are made exclusively from purchased grapes and/or vineyards the Maison farms through long-term contracts. If that sounds confusing, welcome to Burgundy! In layman's terms the Domaine bottlings carry a black label, while the Maison wines carry a white label. Both sets of wines are vinified at Magnien's new facility in Morey St. Denis. In reality, though, each range has its own winery within the same building, which leads to some fascinating differences in the wines, which I explain below. The Domaine Michel Magnien wines are rich, sumptuous Burgundies. The fruit is 100% destemmed. In 2009 Magnien used 30% new oak for the villages, 50% for the 1ers and 100% for the grand crus. The wines spent about nine months in oak. After the malos, the wines were racked into older, neutral oak where they finished their elevage. I find the house style a big factor in these 2009s, in fact there are fewer differences from wine to wine as one might reasonably expect in such a broad selection of appellations. My sense is that the 2009s here are destined for early drinking. Since 2008 the Domaine Michel Magnien vineyards have begun the process towards conversion to biodynamic farming. All of the 2009s were bottled in February 2011. Importers: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880