Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Based in Meursault, Xavier Monnot grew these grapes at a two-acre parcel of 50-year-old vines in Le Limozin, a lieu-dit just below the premier cru Les Genevrières. It’s broad and luscious, more about power right now than detail, though touches of herbs, bitter melon rind and red apple, as well as a mineral clarity, hint at the distinction that should come forward as the youthful intensity subsides.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Meursault le Limozin has a zippy, refreshing citrus lemon and fresh apricot-scented bouquet that opens nicely with aeration. The palate is quite concentrated and spicy for a village cru. There is good weight in the mouth and it segues into a lemongrass-tinged, quite sustained finish that deserves a round of applause. A very worthy follow-up to the 2015.
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Wine Spectator
Though rich and honeyed, this white is backed by lively acidity, showcasing lemon cake, apple and peach fruit. Vanilla and clove accents add detail as this cruises to a long finish. Drink now through 2024.
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.