2013 Meursault Les Clous

There was a good early budbreak in 2014 and a homogeneous and successful flowering under good conditions, as in 2009, said winemaker Frédéric Weber, who started vinifying with Philippe Prost here in 2003 and took over winemaking responsibilities in 2012. But the big hailstorm of June 28 hit Beaune and Pommard hard and Volnay and Meursault a bit less. "We lost 50% to 60% of our crop on the Côte de Beaune," said Weber, "but had normal yields on the Côte de Nuits." And after cool, cloudy weather in July and August, conditions were nearly perfect in September, with drying northeast winds, warm days and cool nights, he added.

Bouchard started harvesting Pinot Noir on September 11, then followed three days later with Chardonnay. Although some of the Pinot grape skins had been compromised, Chardonnay was very healthy, according to Weber, who added that the fruit showed "good ripeness and a lot of organic acidity." Potential alcohol levels were 12.5% and up--as high as 13.5% for some grand crus--and he chaptalized just a little to prolong the fermentations.

The Chardonnays generally have between 3.8 and 4.2 grams per liter of total acidity, with good levels of tartaric acidity, although the secondary fermentations began late and a number of them had not finished by the time of my annual late-spring visit. Other wines were still cloudy.

Bouchard's 2013 whites are 0.6 to 1.0 grams per liter lower in residual sugar than the '14s. Weber likes this vintage "because it was so difficult in the vineyards and in the cellar but has been a good surprise since July of 2014. The wines are easier to drink than the 2014s, very approachable, and there's a lot of pleasure in the vintage." He went on: "The 2013s began with a lot of malic acidity "but really softened up during the malolactic fermentations."

Under the direction of technical director/winemaker Philippe Prost, Bouchard began harvesting on the Cote de Beaune on September 30, with most crus coming in between October 4 and 9.(Bouchard waited until October 5 to attack the Cote de Nuits, but Prost noted that "we didn't lose acidity because the pinot noir grapes were less advanced.")Prost told me that Bouchard experienced 20% to 80% hail damage on 42 hectares of vines on the Cote de Beaune.He considers 2013 to be a fragile vintage owing to rot pressures "but not in the grand crus or in Meursault Perrieres."Prost added that he "loves the richness of the 2012 vintage.The main decision was to destem 30% of the fruit before the press as the berries were small and the stems were somewhat metallic and bitter due to the quick ripening."Acidity levels are just average in 2012, and Prost believes that although the wines have good minerality they will generally be for drinking before the 2013s. Also recommended:2012 Puligny-Montrachet (86).