Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur

The nose here is closed with a little lime verbena peeping out from in amongst the smoky reduction. Always the most austere of the domaine’s white wines, the immediate impression is acidity, along with lemon and lime. Sleek, precise and saline, this is tight and closed but will gain in breadth. Drink 2022-2028.

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

This is an interesting site, partly sloping and abutting Premier Cru land to the north of the village. Always a tensile wine, but with a nice firm edge, there are notes of citrus and pineapple, before tightening to a firmer, almost saline finish, mixed with more exotic notes. Drink 2022-2028.

The domaine has 1.5 hectares here, its largest Chardonnay holding, between the north of the village and Santenots. Interesting hints of mint and verbena mingle with the expected stone-fruit notes, and the 20% new oak gives a spicy element. Thoroughly decent Meursault, and elegant too. Drink 2021-2026.

This is from a tiny parcel of 15 ares, planted in 1983 (François’s birth year). Raised in a second-fill 500-litre barrel, there is lovely composure and, even in 2018, a cool restraint. Grace and power in equal measure. Drink 2025-2038.

Les Aussy – sold at other addresses as Ronceret – has Premier Cru and village vines, the latter appearing in François’s straight Volnay. On the more solid end of the Volnay spectrum, nonetheless there are plenty of charming floral notes and an earnest agreeability. Drink 2022-2028.

An interesting curiosity, this comes from the Les Blancs section of Santenots which, despite its name, is mostly planted to red. As such this is more about structure than perfume, and – in a red wine year like 2018 – has great concentration. Drink 2023-2028.

This is François’s only Volnay from the north (Pommard) end of the appellation, and stylistically it’s equally remote. The bouquet is more red fruit than floral, while the wine is juicy and strongly structured. Drink 2024-2030.

François’s holding covers just 0.2 hectares, in two parcels which straddle the road between Charmes-Dessus and Charmes-Dessous. Sophisticated and creamy, this is more seductive than cerebral. Drink 2023-2029.

The fruit here comes from 0.27 hectares in the (better) lower section, by Clos de la Perrière and bordering Puligny. Driven and intense, poised and detailed, this is a really good expression of Meursault’s crowning glory. Drink 2024-2030.

François has 0.7 hectares superbly sited in prime Taillepieds, adjoining the legendary De Montille parcel. The scale is impressive, but not at the expense of Volnay perfume, and the multi-layered finish. Drink 2025-2035.

Half a hectare here is equally split between the vineyard’s upper and lower sections. Plots planted in 1996, ’86 and ’81 are now beginning to hit their straps, gaining texture and textbook silky creaminess. Drink 2025-2035.

The fruit for this is sourced from over two hectares of village vineyards across Echards, Aussy and Petits Gamets, although the latter will be replanted this year. With 20% new oak, this offers very pleasing Volnay florality. It’s always a bit more serious than is initially apparent. Highly satisfactory. Drink 2021-2027.

This vineyard is well-placed below Premier Cru Les Referts, bordering Charmes (under consideration for elevation as it borders Meursault’s Premiers Crus). The tortuous reasoning employed to support a village Puligny explains why its stony and citrus-flecked character is a cut above. Drink 2022-2027.