Winemaker Notes
Textbook Meursault from Nicolas Potel's Roche de Bellene micro-negociant operation. Emphasizes fruit and minerality over oakiness. High toned aromas of lemon rind, hazelnuts, fresh herbs and beeswax. Medium-bodied and tense on the palate, with bright acidity highlighting the citrus, oatmeal and nutty flavors. Great balance of fruit, acid, oak and earth. At its best with savory dishes like lobster, bay scallops, grilled swordfish or coq a vin.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Shy, lemony brightness escapes the closed nose on this wine. The palate brings serene concentration on a lemony, textured palate that speaks of yeast and concentration. Mellow and rounded but at the same time subdued, it's an understated, elegant wine.
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.