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Meursault is one of the greatest white wines
of Burgundy, one of the five jewels in the crown of the famous
Côte
de Beaune. As such, it is of course made from the great white
grape variety of Burgundy, named after a small village in the
region, Chardonnay. |
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Burgundy wines are named according to their region,
village, or tiny vineyard plot of origin. The Burgundy vineyards
cover six main regions. The first is Chablis, separate from
the rest, just 150 kilometres south-east
of Paris.
From Dijon, located a further 150 kilometres south-east of Chablis,
the Burgundy vineyards form a long narrow band heading south
towards Lyons, starting in the Côte de Nuits, followed
by the Côte de Beaune, the Côte chalonnaise, the
Mâconnais, and finally, the Beaujolais region. In this
case, the small and charming village of Meursault is located
some distance south of the town of Beaune.
The Côte de Beaune is particular in that no other region
in France (except Champagne) is so well known for white wines
rather than red. The vineyards of Meursault planted in Chardonnay
cover a total surface area of 405 hectares. The best of these
are at an altitude of between 230 and 360 metres (perfect since
this is not high enough to lower average temperatures) |
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The soil type of the Côte de Beaune has
contributed greatly to the quality of the wines. The sinking
of the plain caused the formation of a long and very regular
slope facing east-south-east, perfect for maximum sunlight.
It also liberated precious minerals trapped in the lower layers
of the earth. The basic soil type is of limestone and clay whose
mineral content varies enourmously from one tiny plot to the
next. |
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The grapes will be harvested by hand generally
in September. They will be sorted by hand on arrival at the
winery on a special sorting bench, most important for maintaining
quality especially in more difficult years. They must then be
crushed to liberate the juices trapped in the berries, and then
pressed. A pneumatic press is preferable since it is more kind
to the grape than a simple mechanical method. The must thus
obtained will be put into traditional Burgundian oak casks of
228 litres where it will ferment and become one of the greatest
dry white wines in the world. |
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Colour: Mellow gold with a hint of green.
Bouquet: Very distinct oak aromas, vanilla, toasted bread, walnut.
Palate: Full-bodied and smooth with flavours of vanilla and
oak which linger beautifully in the mouth. |
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Try Meursault with quite strong flavoured dishes,
foie gras, fish in sauce, garnished seafood, poultry in sauce,
strong cheeses (époisses, munster, roquefort). |
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Like all white Burgundies of this quality, Meursault
should be served at a cellar temperature of about 12 to 14°C. |
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Meursault will age very well in a good cellar
for about eight to fifteen years. The flavours will become gradually
more and more intense,and extraordinarily smooth. |
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Who are we?
Domaine de la Vougeraie
