Meursault
There are more top producers here than in any other commune of the Côte d’Or, and its wines are typically rich and savoury with nutty, honeyed hints and buttery, vanilla spice from the oak. Even though considerably larger than its southerly neighbours Chassagne and Puligny, Meursault contains no Grands Crus. However its three best Premiers Crus produce some of the region’s greatest whites.
There are more top producers in Meursault than in any other commune of the Côte d’Or. Certainly it is the most famous and popular of the great white appellations. Its wines are typically rich and savoury with nutty, honeyed hints and buttery, vanilla spice from the oak.
Even though it is considerably larger than its southerly neighbours Chassagne and Puligny, Meursault contains no Grands Crus. Its three best Premiers Crus, however – Les Perrières, Les Genevrières and Les Charmes – produce some of the region’s greatest whites: they are full, round and powerful, and age very well. Les Perrières in particular can produce wines of Grand Cru quality, a fact that is often reflected in its price. Meursault has also been one of the driving forces of biodynamic viticulture in the region, as pioneered by Lafon and Leflaive.Many of the vineyards below Premier Cru, known as ‘village’ wines, are also well worth looking at. The growers vinify their different vineyard holdings separately, which rarely happens in Puligny or Chassagne. Such wines can be labelled with the ‘lieu-dit’ vineyard alongside (although in smaller type to) the Meursault name.
Premier Cru Meursault should be enjoyed from five to 15 years of age, although top examples can last even longer. Village wines, meanwhile, are normally at their best from three to 10 years.
Very occasionally, red Meursault is produced with some fine, firm results. The best red Pinot Noir terroir, Les Santenots, is afforded the courtesy title of Volnay Santenots, even though it is actually in Meursault.
- 305 hectares of village Meursault. The best vineyards include Clos de la Barre, Tesson, Chevalières, Rougeot, Narvaux
- 132 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (17 in all). The finest vineyards include Les Perrières, Les Genevrières and Les Charmes
- Recommended producers: Comte Lafon, Arnaud Ente, Coche Dury, Guy Roulot, Jean-Philippe Fichet, Patrick Javillier, François Jobard, Michel Bouzereau
- Recommended restaurant: Le Chevreuil
Prices:
Bottle
£35.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl188cs
Bottle
£39.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl112cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began on 28th August and the whites were brought in across just three days. “It was such a beautiful quality of fruit,” says Jean-Baptiste, “that I couldn't stop eating the grapes.” Good sugar levels have brought alcohols ranging from 12.6 to 13.2 percent and the wines have been elegant right from the start.
Bottle
£45.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl6cs
Bottle
£49.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl5cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began on 28th August and the whites were brought in across just three days. “It was such a beautiful quality of fruit,” says Jean-Baptiste, “that I couldn't stop eating the grapes.” Good sugar levels have brought alcohols ranging from 12.6 to 13.2 percent and the wines have been elegant right from the start.
Bottle
£49.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Case price (Bottle 6 x 75cl)
Bottle 6 x 75cl7cs
Production of the Dominique Lafon wines has now moved to large cellars at the Château de Bligny, providing much better working conditions than previously. As a result of the hail, there is unlikely to be any village Volnay or Beaune Épenottes for us to offer. However, Dominique has found an excellent source of Beaune Vignes Franches this year to make up part of the shortfall. This cuvée apart, all the vineyards are managed by the Les Héretiers du Comte Lafon viticultural team, using the same methods. Starting this year, the wines will all be bottled using Diam30 corks.
Bottle
£55.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl3cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
The hail affected mostly his Bourgogne Blanc and En La Barre vineyards, the Premiers Crus being largely spared. These are superb wines in 2013, not least because Antoine Jobard picked between 26th September and 3rd October, before the heavy rains. Few producers in Meursault can match this range for quality, concentration and precision.
Bottle
£55.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl35cs
The vines for this cuvée are between 25 and 55 years old, mature enough to produce high-quality wine. Pale in colour, it has the faintest green tint. There is lots of limestone in the soil, which gives the minerality and tension. A little greengage on the palate, this delivers a superb, fresh, hillside Meursault.
Bottle
£59.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl28cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
The 2013 vintage was another very difficult vintage to manage, with a heavily reduced crop after the hail, but unlike in 2012 Dominique has at least been able to make all his appellations. The wines were at a backward stage when tasted in October but with really exciting potential.
Bottle
£59.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl2cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Jean-Philippe Fichet is very excited with his 2013s, which he picked before the weekend of bad weather. He has also refined his techniques in the cellar, pressing the grapes for longer and settling out the juice less than before; both methods aimed at enhancing the vineyard character of each plot and making less ‘technical’ wines. A lovely range.
Bottle
£62.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl36cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began on 28th August and the whites were brought in across just three days. “It was such a beautiful quality of fruit,” says Jean-Baptiste, “that I couldn't stop eating the grapes.” Good sugar levels have brought alcohols ranging from 12.6 to 13.2 percent and the wines have been elegant right from the start.
Bottle
£69.00
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began on 28th August and the whites were brought in across just three days. “It was such a beautiful quality of fruit,” says Jean-Baptiste, “that I couldn't stop eating the grapes.” Good sugar levels have brought alcohols ranging from 12.6 to 13.2 percent and the wines have been elegant right from the start.
Bottle
£69.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl5cs
Bottle
£75.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl13cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
The 2013 vintage was another very difficult vintage to manage, with a heavily reduced crop after the hail, but unlike in 2012 Dominique has at least been able to make all his appellations. The wines were at a backward stage when tasted in October but with really exciting potential.
Bottle
£78.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl8cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Production of the Dominique Lafon wines has now moved to large cellars at the Château de Bligny, providing much better working conditions than previously. As a result of the hail, there is unlikely to be any village Volnay or Beaune Épenottes for us to offer. However, Dominique has found an excellent source of Beaune Vignes Franches this year to make up part of the shortfall. This cuvée apart, all the vineyards are managed by the Les Héretiers du Comte Lafon viticultural team, using the same methods. Starting this year, the wines will all be bottled using Diam30 corks.
Case price (Bottle 12 x 75cl)
Bottle 12 x 75cl2cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
The hail affected mostly his Bourgogne Blanc and En La Barre vineyards, the Premiers Crus being largely spared. These are superb wines in 2013, not least because Antoine Jobard picked between 26th September and 3rd October, before the heavy rains. Few producers in Meursault can match this range for quality, concentration and precision.
Bottle
£85.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl28cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
The hail affected mostly his Bourgogne Blanc and En La Barre vineyards, the Premiers Crus being largely spared. These are superb wines in 2013, not least because Antoine Jobard picked between 26th September and 3rd October, before the heavy rains. Few producers in Meursault can match this range for quality, concentration and precision.
Bottle
£85.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl11cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director
Antoine started on 18th September with acceptable yields for the vintage, though not in every vineyard. He lost his Puligny Champgains to hail, for example. Both fermentations passed off without a hitch, and the wines are showing tremendous class. One or two new vineyards are coming on stream between 2012 and 2014, while some of his holdings will be reduced in favour of other family members. A very successful cellar this year.
Bottle
£95.00
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director
Antoine started on 18th September with acceptable yields for the vintage, though not in every vineyard. He lost his Puligny Champgains to hail, for example. Both fermentations passed off without a hitch, and the wines are showing tremendous class. One or two new vineyards are coming on stream between 2012 and 2014, while some of his holdings will be reduced in favour of other family members. A very successful cellar this year.
Bottle
£95.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl1cs
Neal Martin- The Wine Advocate #216, Dec 2014
Case price (Magnum 6 x 150cl)
Magnum 6 x 150cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl2cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Jean-Baptiste reports hardly any hail damage in 2013 but the crop was nonetheless limited by cold damp weather at the flowering. He began picking on 26th September, with all the whites picked before the wet weekend. Malolactic fermentation took a little longer than usual but no real problems in the cellar. The wines will be bottled in December, or January for the Premiers Crus.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Jean-Baptiste reports hardly any hail damage in 2013 but the crop was nonetheless limited by cold damp weather at the flowering. He began picking on 26th September, with all the whites picked before the wet weekend. Malolactic fermentation took a little longer than usual but no real problems in the cellar. The wines will be bottled in December, or January for the Premiers Crus.
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl1cs
Patrick Javillier has crafted a superbly balanced Meursault for our own-label range in 2015, using grapes from the top, middle and bottom of the hillside. This delicious white Burgundy displays a classy, fresh-fruit nose, with beautifully rounded fruit on the palate, with ripe yet fresh yellow-plum notes. This is a very classical Meursault, with a pure long finish.