2007 Meursault Les Perrieres

The Roulot 2007 Meursault Perrieres is scented with musk, narcissus, heliotrope, grapefruit, white peach, moss, and white truffle. A terrific combination of luscious and vivacious citrus with satiny texture and underlying density of chalky minerality lends the palate richness and energy. Bitter elements of citrus rind and fruit pit are invigoratingly integrated. Toasted hazelnut, citrus oil, and hints of honey add to the allure of a finish impeccably transparent to mineral and floral nuances and uplifting in its combination of buoyancy and refreshing brightness. This should be worth following for 10-12 years. It was his last-bottled and for a long time least expressive 2007, says Roulot, but it is certainly overcome any reticence it might once have exhibited! Jean-Marc Roulot as usual racked his 2007s back into tank one year after their early September harvest, then let them rest on their fine lees there for 5-6 months before bottling, believing – as did so many growers – that the 2007s needed time to evolve before bottling. He considers himself to have had an advantage this year due to his predominance of northerly, high-elevation sites that benefited from breezes to ward off rot, and especially able to benefit from the north wind that brought general drying and concentration at the beginning of September. Finished alcohols hover around 12.5, “and lower degrees are no handicap as far as I am concerned,” opines Roulot. Still, he acknowledges that perhaps he might have done well to hold off a few more days with the harvest in certain parcels. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Bright pale yellow. Soft citrus fruits and crushed rock on the musky, slightly reduced nose. Rich, perfumed and tightly coiled, with a terrific core of acidity intensifying the orange, floral and mineral flavors. Offers compelling cut and concentration but this infant will require several years of aging. Wonderfully refined Perrieres of grand cru class.

Sexy aromas of orange, toasted bread and truffle. Silky and suave on entry, then fine-grained and aromatic in the mouth, with its opulent texture leavened by vibrant minerality. The baked bread note carries through on the palate, and the long, mounting finish saturates the palate with minerality.