2006 Meursault Genevrieres

The notion of “enveloping richness” scarcely does justice to the seamless ripeness and textural richness of Coche’s 2006 Meursault Genevrieres. Yet, few white Burgundies offer such a tactile expression of chalk and crushed stone or a more invigorating and intriguing salinity. High-toned sweet herbal and floral essences (mint, licorice, heliotrope), white peach, and diverse citrus fruits all add to the luscious charm that prevail here alongside the wine’s “serious” and “mineral” depth. This should be worth following for a decade or more. The uncanny ability to combine sheer lusciousness of fruit with dense minerality and vigor was also in evidence in 2005 – both in Coche’s Meursault Chevalieres and Genevrieres – even though generosity is hardly the norm for wines of that vintage, especially when tasted today. Jean-Francois Coche’s 2006s did not even begin their malo-lactic transformation until high summer, and several were not finished when I last tasted there in November, 2007. Coche does not think 2006 quite measures up to 2002 or 2005, and given the amazing wines he rendered in the latter vintage, one can appreciate his perspective. Nonetheless, few if any other 2006s I tasted were able to combine complexity and charm, vintage-typical ripeness and verve in the way these did. David Schildknecht. Wine Advocate # 180