Winemaker Notes
Les Charmes is considered the archetype of Meursault wines. This appellation is the largest of the Meursault Premier Crus. We own four plots, of which 70% are located in Charmes-Dessus. Les Charmes is a well-balanced wine with both the ampleness of the Charmes-Dessous and the minerality and elegance of the Charmes-Dessus. Charming in appearance, it is both powerful and full-bodied with a soft and full finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another one of the gems in the lineup is the 2017 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru, a more upfront, powerful wine compared to the more inward Puligny-Montrachet Les Chalumeaux. Crushed citrus, white peach, crushed rocks, celery seed, and a beautiful salinity all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, juicy, layered, incredibly pure and layered white that does everything right. It also needs air to show at its best, and I suspect won’t hit prime time for another 4-5 years, but it should evolve beautifully over the following decade or more.
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Wine Spectator
Butterscotch candy notes meet fresh peach flavors in this tangy white. Details of apple, baking spices and Key lime pie add depth. Finishes long, with brisk acidity and a chalky feel. Best from 2021 through 2030.
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Wine & Spirits
This shows its ripeness in sweet notes of honeysuckle and violet candies. There’s fresh chamomile and nutmeat complexity underneath, the wine gaining savor as it opens with air, particularly in the lingering finish, which is clean and continues to offer more flavor depths as it lasts.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known to offer a magical balance of smoothness and freshness, Meursault's quality is hard to rival. The village lies in the middle of Côte de Beaune, just south of Volnay. Meursault is said to mean “mouse’s jump” because in the past the plots producing Pinot Noir and those producing Chardonnay were no more than a mouse’s jump from one another. Today the village is almost exclusively Chardonnay. A tiny bit of Pinot Noir is produced here with the best coming from Les Santenots on its northern side near Volnay.
While there are no Grands Crus, Meursault’s numerous acclaimed Premiers Crus can compete with any other top-notch white Burgundy. Some to know are Les Perrières, Les Genevrières, Les Charmes, Le Poruzot, Les Bouchères and Les Gouttes d’Or.
Meursault produces outstanding village level wines as well. In general great Premiers Crus and even village level Meursault (Chardonnay) have enticing aromas of lime peel, tropical fruit, crushed rocks, spice and hazelnut. On the palate there is a wonderful balance of brightness and a seductive length with flavors of white peach, pineapple and citrus.