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Burgundy 2021 En Primeur: Domaine Michelot, Meursault

Domaine Michelot in Meursault is a cornerstone of our burgundy offering, in part because we have been visiting here since the late '90s, but mostly because of the quality of the wines, which have evolved enormously over the decades.  In all that time, we have never known the harvest to be hit so badly, with less than a quarter of the usual quantity of wine made in 2021.

Jean-Francois Mestre told us that the air frost, which affected the higher slopes worst, froze the vine wood, killing any secondary buds inside which might have produced a second flowering.  According to the domaine's own records, this was history repeating itself, with the frost equalled only by one a hundred years earlier in 1921, which struck at almost exactly the same point in the year, out by just one day! 

Michelot's excellent array of plots across Meursault means that, usually, sample after sample is poured as we taste through the cuvées.  By contrast, this year, Jean-Francois stood over just five half bottles, handling them like precious artefacts...deservedly so, as the wines are fabulous!  The Mestres are great bon viveurs and always talk about their wines in terms of what to eat with them.  Jean-Francois commented that even though the 2021s are 'gourmand' wines, it is still a 'slimming vintage'...because there is hardly any of it!

Usually, we receive just a few cases of the excellent Bourgogne Côte d'Or Blanc and squirrel it away, but although we tasted the 2021, there is not enough to offer.  We can, however, let you know that it was powerful and concentrated, exceptionally pure, setting the tone for the other wines. 

We did not taste Santenay 'Les Gravières' 1er Cru, but can offer it with every confidence in this superb domaine.  In recent vintages, this premier cru has offered a richness that equals Meursault.  Clos St Felix was also not available, but we did taste Les Grands Charrons as a representative example of the lieux-dits, which had a very fine mineral nose, delicate and poised tangerine fruits and a classy, energetic saline finish. 

As for the premiers crus 'Les Charmes' and 'Les Genevrières', these were among the best we have tasted from this domaine, as you will see from our notes below and also Jasper Morris MW's excellent score for 'Les Charmes' (92-95 points), which potentially sees it equal some of the top-rated premiers crus in Burgundy.  In a normal vintage 18 barrels of 'Les Genevrières' would be, but this vintage yielded under three!  The scarcity of Michelot's 2021s is matched by their outstanding quality and we suggest you snap these wines up whilst you can.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to order.  

Offered en primeur, landing autumn 2023

 

Domaine Michelot, Meursault

Producer Profile

Domaine Michelot, Meursault

 

One of the most respected domaines in Meursault, Michelot make beautifully saline, mineral white wines in a modern, terroir-driven style.  Jean-François Mestre and his son Nicolas run the domaine, but we first visited here over twenty years ago, to taste with Nicolas' grandfather, Bernard Michelot.  It was the diminutive but charming Bernard who made the domaine so popular in the 1970s and 80s, producing wines in the rich, buttery style which became popular at the time, with plenty of new oak influence.  He was also one of the first producers to bottle his various lieux-dits as separate cuvées. 

We were lucky enough to meet Bernard in the late '90s, and to taste vintages going back to the 1950s with him.  On our last visit, we were reminded of a story he used to tell about the Clos St. Felix lieu dit, a walled vineyard that sits immediately behind the domaine.  Bernard always used to say that he knew the Clos was warmer than the surrounding vineyards, as during the war, he used to break the nighttime curfew to visit his girlfriend.  When he returned late at night and climbed over the wall into the Clos, he would always notice how much warmer it was!

Winemaking, now under Nicolas, is more modern: less new oak, less batonage, and more focus on retaining fruit purity and terroir.  Taut but delicious when young, their Meursaults age effortlessly.  We recently purchased a small parcel of the 2004 Meursault Village from a private cellar and, sixteen years on, it was still drinking well.  The domaine currently has 23 hectares, with one of the largest holdings in Meursault itself.  Parcels of vines for the village wine are spread across the appellation, one reason why this is a benchmark wine, very representative of the wines from this village.

Michelot's Meursaults are enjoyed by Burgundy-lovers around the world but remain slightly below the critics' radar.  One Burgundy insider tells us that Jean-François Coche-Dury (possibly Meursault's greatest winemaker) says that Michelot is hugely underrated; their wines can be had for a tenth of the price of equivalents from Coche-Dury, i.e. the price of a bottle of Coche almost buys you a case of Michelot.

The Meursault lieux-dits 'Clos St Felix' and 'Les Grands Charrons' are a notch up from the village wine in price, but with more than enough added richness and saline, mineral freshness to justify this.  The Santenay Blanc 'Les Gravières' premier cru borders Chassagne and has more weight and seriousness to it than many a Chassagne or Meursault.  Four Meursault premiers crus are bottled, 'Les Poruzots, 'Les Perrières', 'Les Charmes' and 'Les Genevrières'.  'Les Genevrières' is named after the juniper trees which used to grow here.  This premier cru produces some of the richest and most structured Meursaults from the appellation, with excellent ageing potential.  The soil is clay/limestone with a subsoil of pebbles, volcanic rock and white limestone. Michelot have two parcels in the middle of the slope, at 250-275 metres above sea level.  Known as "Genevrières Dessus", these higher parts of the cru produce superior wines to those from the lower slopes.

WHITE 2021 1 case Domaine Michelot - Meursault Clos St Felix, Monople 75cl £295 per case of 6 Domaine Michelot
Meursault Clos St Felix, Monople
2021 / 1 case / 75cl
£295 per case of 6
IB
WHITE 2021 1 case Domaine Michelot - Meursault Genevrières 1er cru 75cl £460 per case of 6 Domaine Michelot
Meursault Genevrières 1er cru
2021 / 1 case / 75cl
£460 per case of 6
IB
WHITE 2021 1 case Domaine Michelot - Meursault Les Charmes 1er cru 75cl £420 per case of 6 Domaine Michelot
Meursault Les Charmes 1er cru
2021 / 1 case / 75cl
£420 per case of 6
IB
Tasting Notes"Clear pale colour. The nose is the cleanest and the most classic, with more fruit evident from the start. One younger plot lower down was nearly a full crop. This has a beginning, a middle and an end, not the plumpest Charmes of your life, but much the style of wine which Nicolas wants to make and is capable of. Lots of detail here too, nuanced from its varied elevage. Lovely crunch to it, very good. Drink from 2026-2031. Tasted: October 2022. 92-95 points" Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy.com
WHITE 2021 1 case Domaine Michelot - Santenay Blanc Les Gravières 1er cru 75cl £230 per case of 6 Domaine Michelot
Santenay Blanc Les Gravières 1er cru
2021 / 1 case / 75cl
£230 per case of 6
IB

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