2001 Nuits Saint-Georges Chaboeufs 1er Cru

Alain Meunier told me that the harvest of 2002 was saved by the fresh wind and sunlight after the rains, and that the grapes were very ripe and healthy, with good fresh acidity.Following a severe green harvest, and other steps to control yields, Meunier still produced 42 to 45 hectoliters per hectare (but more like 35 for the crus), eliminating almost nothing owing to the health of the grapes.(In 2001, in comparison, he threw out 25% of his fruit, '15% for being underripe and 10% for being touched by rot.') Meunier compares 2002 to 1999, but believes that the new vintage is a bit more sharp, a bit higher in acidity.At the same time, he added, there was less chaptalization necessary in 2002:in 1999, everything was chaptalized except for the Cote de Nuits-Villages. Meunier views vintage 2002 as a mid-term ager.In any event, he admitted, 'I don't like old pinot noir.'(Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, D.C.)

Alain Meunier, who was already calling 2002 a great vintage in November, brought in fruit in 2001 with potential alcohol in the 11% to 11.8% range and chaptalized about a degree and a half. The 2000s might have been a degree higher in sugar, said Meunier, but the skins in the earlier vintage had less phenolic ripeness and were more figue(literally, dried fig), with rot more of a problem. Meunier actually made a bit more wine in 2001 since there was less rotten fruit to be eliminated. Like the wines from other domains that use only organic methods, Meunier's are quite literally alive-i.e., full of micro-organisms. This style of wine normally begins life more evolved and less ruby-hued but generally retains its color nicely and holds up well in bottle. (Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, D.C.)