Another Vancouver Paulee for the wonderful opportunity to taste and study the complexity of white Burgundy. As followers of this Blog know well there have been quite a few previous write-ups of this fantastic annual event. This time on August 24 at the Acquafarina restaurant your scribe tried 36 Meursault Premier Cru over 13 vintages from fresh 2022 back to 2009. An excellent variety of quality producers including the innovative Bouchard Pere under CellarMaster Frederic Weber who joined in 2002 and became Cellar Master in 2013. Even back in the hotter 2009 vintage they were picking early for lower pH and higher acidity – which now with global warming is being done by most everybody. The 13 vintages showed the importance of weather conditions with 2014 impressing for the youthful vibrancy and 2020 is underrated for balance. The frosts affected 2016 but Les Perrieres Albert Grivault had steely notes while hot conditions of 2015 (better for reds) and the more recent years too showed popular more powerful lush extracted wines. The vineyards showed their different terroirs as expected with Perrieres fuller more minerals best long ager, Genevrieres consistent finer subtle less weight, and Charmes full body rounder opulence less minerals. These characteristics were confirmed by the single bottle of 2009 Perrieres Bouchard being more advanced than the magnum, the 2009 Genevieres Bouchard in magnum (contributed by yours truly) was subtle and still developing needing extended airing, and the Charmes varied from lush 2015 Dom. Brisson-Charles to elegant 2014 Henri Germain. Paulina Zhang & Blair Curtis provided excellent insightful comments and enjoyed the latter wine plus 2017 Genevrieres Domaine Michelot which IMHO was still showing a lot of sulphur. There was such a broad selection of top wines so many diverse favourites chosen.
A Top Five that impressed me:
1. Best YOUNG Meursault 1er Cru: 2020 LES CHARMES-DESSUS BENJAMIN LEROUX. Really like what this producer is doing. Amazing quality wines for value like 2020 Meursault Vireuils (near Auxey-Duresses) with limestone soils. Charmes-Dessus is young but superbly balanced needing more time to open up. Look at my photo of the outstanding use of Diam 30 (not Diam 10) closure for long aging.
2. Best OLDER Meursault 1er Cru: 2009 PERRIERES BOUCHARD PERE. Again the hot 2009 vintage shows much better than expected for this white wine (and the reds) with freshness continuing with depth and developing complexity.
3. Best AGING Meursault 1er Cru: 2014 PERRIERES BOUCHARD PERE. June hail 2014 reduced the crop in Meursault producing concentrated fruit with firm acidity. Two bottles tried showing quite differently with one as just described and the other starting to develop a fuller more mature very classy style. Bottle variation at 10 years.
4. Best UNDERRATED Meursault 1er Cru: 2013 PERRIERES BOUCHARD PERE. Cool year for reds but a lighter lean crisp pure well defined terroir here that was not fully appreciated.
5. Best LIEU-DIT Meursault: 2019 CLOS DU CROMIN (Domaine Genot-Boulanger) & 2022 LES TILLETS (Domaine Patrick Javillier). In Meursault there are highly rated lieu-dit vineyards (not official 1er Crus) including these two served to everyone paired with the baby gem lettuce & truffle. Clos du Cormin is a walled site within the larger lieu-dit of Le Cromin. Young and stylish vintages though less classic than 2014 & 2010. These Lieu-Dit wines now are the good values to look for and purchase – that includes my fav Les Vireuils. Also Les Narvaux, Les Clous, Les Cases-Tetes, and others.
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