2017 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru

Jean-Pierre Latour compares 2017 to 2015 “but with more complexity, precision and interest. The wines will have a certain accessibility but they also have much more potential than the ‘15s.” Latour started harvesting on August 28 (with his early-ripening Meursault vines in Bouchères, Poruzots and Perrières ) and then paused during the rain on the 30th. Yields were moderate here (about 45 hectoliters per hectare for village vines and 35 for the crus, according to Latour), as there were some crop losses due to heat during the flowering. Grape sugars were high—up to 13.8% potential alcohol for the Genevrières, but even the Meursault villages averaged about 13.3%. The malic acidity was burned off by the summer heat but the grapes retained high tartaric acidity, and his ‘17s finished their malos with between 4 and 4.2 grams per liter of acidity and pHs around 3.22.

When I noted to Latour that I found his ‘17s sweeter than his ‘16s, he admitted that a few of the richer wines finished with as much as 2.5 grams per liter of residual sugar, as “the yeasts tired out.” In fact, the alcoholic fermentations were not easy in '17, he went on. His village wines finished their sugars by October 20, which is close to normal here, but the premier crus that were harvested with about 13.5% potential alcohol finished between late November and mid-December, and the malos were done by March. Latour noted that in 2017, the fruit covers the wines’ tannins “and one is more aware of the influence of the sun than in the ‘16s.” He pointed out that many growers may need to rack their wines earlier than ideal due to the likely early start to the 2018 harvest and their limited cellar space but he’s convinced that the ‘17s will need will “a normal or even longer élevage.” Incidentally, Latour was still stirring the lees at the time of my early-June visit.