Les Tillets

This higher vineyard above the village, southeast- facing, was entirely frost-free this year. W hen we tasted, it was showing as quite fresh, but there is plenty of substance here, and the 33 percent new oak is not evident, boding well for the future. The finish is equally promising, with some excellent Meursault detail emerging.
Drink 2019-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

The Javilliers have been involved in the wine business for generations as courtiers. When Patrick started out in 1974 this was the main source of his income, alongside which he worked three hectares of vineyards. His courtier days are now long behind him, and his domaine covers nine hectares. Recently, Patrick has been joined by his daughter Marion and her brother-in-law Pierre- Emmanuel Lamy. Patrick is not far away from 50 vintages; Marion is now making the estate’s red wines, and Pierre-Emmanuel largely does the whites – not that Patrick is taking a back seat. As always, conversation with him is peppered with observations; indeed he has been closely involved in the discussions to create a new generic Côte d’Or appellation, a move that would appear to now just need a rubber stamp. There wasn’t too much frost damage here and harvesting began on 20th September; Patrick observes that the character of the vintage is one that can take a bit more bâtonnage than usual.

The wine has a fine, pale colour with a light green tint. The palate is very lively, with exciting fruit, some lime blossom; a vivacious, medium density; good finesse, long and stylish. This has an excellent persistent finish, fresh and delicious.

Patrick likes the freshness and purity of 2014, with nothing that hints at vulgarity. He compares the vintage to 2002 and the best of 2004. Elegance is the hallmark of 2014 but there is good body too, with the wines coming in at or just over 13 percent alcohol. The wines were bottled in the autumn.

This is one of the higher village vineyards, perched above the Premiers Crus. This altitude skews the wine’s style more to white flower notes and there is some delicacy on the palate. There is plenty of concentration and the wine is nicely composed on the finish. Drink 2022-2028.

Antoine feels that 2017 is a little less rich than 2015, but also fresher. He likes wines with body, so the freshness is a bonus, adding another dimension. He will bottle in December and January; he feels that after a warm summer, two winters in barrel is too long and earlier bottling is necessary to capture the fruit. He now wonders whether he should have bottled his 2015s sooner. Harvest began on 31st August – even for his Blagny, which used to be one of the last to ripen, indicative of the warming conditions in the region.

The domaine has six parcels in this vineyard, totalling 1.7 hectares, with vines between 30 and 70 years old. Always floral and racy, the wine can also show an herbal note, this year in the form of verbena. Never a heavy Meursault, the wine is open and expressive. Drink 2021-2025.

This high vineyard, just under the woods of Montmellian, is renowned for its floral aromas, suggestive of tilleul (lime blossom). The vineyard’s cool environment delivers a beguiling crystalline aspect, while the palate and finish are positive and lifted. Drink 2022-2028.