Sebastien Magnien

The Clos de la Perrière is one of the outstanding sites of the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, facing south on stony and shallow soil. The nose has a lovely, lifted perfume which leads on to a textured palate packed with pure red-cherry fruit and dense tannins. This will truly hit its stride with a few years in bottle. Drink 2020-2024.

A short tour of one of Sébastien Magnien’s vineyards tells all you need to know about his philosophy; each vine is perfectly manicured, with not a leaf out of place.  This attention to detail is reflected in his wines, which are precise, steely and mineral. Sébastien’s choice of picking date is guided by acidity rather than sugar levels, putting the emphasis on freshness. He declared himself very happy with 2017, comparing the white wines to 2014 but with perhaps a touch more flavour ripeness, and praising the accessible, moreish character of the reds.

This is a sunny, south-facing location which is situated at a relatively high 300 metres’ altitude and subject to cooling winds. These elements combine to give aromas of perfectly ripe red and black cherry fruit intertwined with lifted, floral aromas and sweet spice. Initially fleshy, the palate finishes with fresh, chalky tannins and vivacious acidity. Drink 2021-2027.

A short tour of one of Sébastien Magnien’s vineyards tells all you need to know about his philosophy; each vine is perfectly manicured, with not a leaf out of place.  This attention to detail is reflected in his wines, which are precise, steely and mineral. Sébastien’s choice of picking date is guided by acidity rather than sugar levels, putting the emphasis on freshness. He declared himself very happy with 2017, comparing the white wines to 2014 but with perhaps a touch more flavour ripeness, and praising the accessible, moreish character of the reds.

Located just above Premier Cru Les Charmots, les Petits Noizons is a superbly sited south-facing vineyard. Lovely deep purple, stylish dark red fruits with some black notes. Generous, clearly ripe, with more black fruit on the palate. Really lovely wine with Pommard weight but still with a sense of vivacity.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Sébastien picked his white wines at the end of September then waited a week for the reds to finish ripening. In both cases the grapes remained in healthy condition. Clearly his 2013s are his best yet in white and very good indeed in red. Take this opportunity to discover a really promising young grower who is still ‘under the radar’.

Burgundy 2012 En Primeur - Best Value
Far more serious than any Hautes Côtes de Beaune wine I have tasted, there is a fantastic core of black fruit here. Very well poised and fresh.
Fergus Stewart, Fine Wine

Red earth on limestone provides the backdrop to this excellent vineyard. Rich and bright purple in colour, this has an absolutely beautiful first nose, almost Côte de Nuits-like in character. The flavours sit on the cusp of red and black fruits yet with a delicious freshness. There is really impressive weight and length, given the lowly appellation.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Young Sébastien made an interesting comment while we tasted: “My training as an oenologist has persuaded me to work even harder in the vines”. This is becoming a very impressive address, even if the appellations are not the grandest. The whites are now in tank, awaiting bottling in the early spring. The reds receive longish macerations with not much punching down and a maximum of 25% new wood. Don’t let your eyes slide straight on to more established names before taking a good look at these, from the cracking Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Clos de la Perrière upwards. Across the cellar the yield in 2012 was a meagre 26 hl/ha.

Petits Noizons is exceptionally well situated on a south-east facing hillside above Pommard. The colour is impressively full, with rich plummy fruit on the nose. This is surprisingly graceful for Pommard with a very long finish.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

A well placed village vineyard making a brightly coloured Volnay, very sensuous on both nose and palate, concentrated and delicious. Very small berries in 2010 so a very low yield.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

We have been dealing with young Mr Magnien for several vintages and have this year we have decide to promoted his wines to our En Primeur brochure for the first time. He is not related to other Cte dOr Magniens as far as we know, most of the vineyards come from his mothers family which originates in the village of Meloisey, whence comes the exceptional Hautes Ctes de Beaune, Clos de la Perrire.

Fresh, perfumed and displaying impressive finesse, this is a hillside version of Pommard which gives it a more lifted feel. It is very pretty for Pommard and very long indeed, with good acid and tannin balancing the fruit.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director This promising domaine, recently established in Meursault, despite having its origins in the Hautes Côtes village of Meloisey, is now reaching a new level of maturity. This year they will bottle everything themselves for the first time and there are some new 1ers Crus to offer. There is not much quantity of any individual cuvée available and prices remain extremely reasonable, so I strongly suggest you to take a good look at Sébastien’s reds in particular.

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