Winemaker Notes
This Meursault Charmes is sourced from the middle section of this revered vineyard, from a 45-year-old parcel that borders Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes. 30% new oak, no lees stirring. Emphasis on bright citrusy fruit, high toned floral notes (acacia), a distinct nutty quality and loads of limestone-driven minerality. This flirts with Grand Cru quality. With decanting the layers of mirabelle plum, baked apple, acacia, hyacinth, lemon curd, hazelnut and wet stone really express themselves. Dense serious white burgundy.
Many of the best wines from the Côte de Beaune are a visceral, meditative experience that you could savor without food. However, richer fish dishes, pork, chicken and anything in a cream sauce or with fungi are highly recommended.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Nicolas Potel buys this as made wine before ageing it in his own barrels and cellar in downtown Beaune. It's a very smart bit of purchasing, because it's a very stylish Charmes that reflects the Premier Cru's proximity to Puligny-Montrachet. Flinty, focused and a little saline, it's framed by aromatic, subtly toasty oak and finishes fresh, lithe and appealingly long on the palate.
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.