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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.
   
  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)
   
  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.
   
  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.
   
  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.
   
  Try Meursault with quite strong flavoured dishes, foie gras, fish in sauce, garnished seafood, poultry in sauce, strong cheeses (époisses, munster, roquefort).
   
  Like all white Burgundies of this quality, Meursault should be served at a cellar temperature of about 12 to 14°C.
   
  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.