2018 Meursault Les Tessons

Wine Details
Place of Origin

France

Meursault

Burgundy

Color

White

Grape/Blend

Chardonnay

Reviews & Tasting Notes

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Drinking Window

2022 - 2034

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It was persisting down with rain when I arrived at Domaine Michel Bouzereau for my annual tasting. Arriving half an hour early gave me a few minutes to dry out as Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau prepared the samples. Opening his handwritten book detailing the minutiae of the growing season, he told me: “On the 5 April there was some frost, but only in the Bourgogne Blanc in Puligny. Flowering was around 5-6 June and it was quite warm. This caused some coulure and millerandage, even though the final yields were around the same as in 2018. There were two spells of heat: temperatures reached 38°C between 22 and 26 July and then the heat returned just before harvest. Thankfully there were occasional showers during July. I started the harvest on 6 September in Puligny Caillerets and the full team started three days later, finishing on 16 September. The Chardonnay reached between 13.8° and 14.3° of alcohol, but with good acidity and normal pH, around 3.1 to 3.2. There was less juice than in 2018 so there was a lot of concentration; a profile that I think makes them vin de garde - quite serious. The pressing was fine because the condition of bunches was healthy, and the stems helped eke out any juice. The 2018 is flattering and sensual, and 2019 is maybe more serious, classic in style, and might drink earlier.” I have been a big fan of this domaine for many years and in my opinion Bouzereau deserves more kudos. These are beautifully crafted, flavoursome wines that express their terroirs succinctly, maybe a touch weightier than other growers but always with sufficient tension. This is one address where the Meursault Genevrières was not going to allow Les Perrières to win all the honours and they are neck-and-neck in terms of quality, and only slight ahead of his splendid Les Tessons – Premier Cru in all but name.

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2022 - 2038

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Michel Bouzereau might not be one of the most conspicuous superstars of Meursault. He has a friendly and outgoing personality, yet he does not hanker for the limelight. I have been consistently impressed by his wines in recent years and his 2018s are no exception. I began by asking him about the timing of the harvest. “One parcel in Volnay was picked 23 August, but the main harvest with the full team commenced from 27 August and finished on 4 September in Blagny." Then I asked about the events leading up to it. "The first treatment in the vineyard was at the end of April, flowering on 23 May and full-flowering 29 May. It was very rapid and was finished by 1 June. It was warm but not too much as in 2017. June saw good temperatures with some rain from 3-10 June. It differs between appellations: there was 50mm in Meursault and 72mm in Puligny-Montrachet. There was slightly less rain in Chassagne and Saint-Aubin. Before the harvest, everyone wanted rain, fearing that there would not be enough juice in the berries. The sanitary conditions were excellent and there was no rot. Potential alcohol reached 12.5-12.9% by the time of harvest and they finished at around 13.5%. The total acidity was low but the pH was good at 3.2, due to the good levels of tartaric acidity, whereas the malic was very low. The malolactic fermentation was very quick and was actually finished before the alcoholic, on 15 November for the Meursault Charmes for example. It’s rare but it happens. All the malos were finished by January."