2013 Meursault Blagny

(from a healthy crop of 50 hectoliters per hectare, as there was no hail damage here, according to Jobard; aged in 20% new oak): Pale yellow. Yellow fruits, menthol, honey and stone on the nose. Not a particularly fruity style but shows good fat and surprising cut to its orange juice, pear and mineral flavors, not to mention an attractive sugar/acid balance and very good length. Half of these vines were replanted to Chardonnay in 2009, while the other half date back to 1955.

The 2013 Meursault Blagny 1er Cru has a reserved, limestone, almost flinty bouquet that is keeping everything under wraps for now. The palate is fresh and crisp with a Coche-like reduction lending complexity toward the finish. There is very good weight here and excellent salinity on the finish. Let’s see what it can do once that reduction ebbs.

Much less reductive than the Tillets, even a hint of honeyed sweetness and light oatmeal character. No hint of sweetness on the palate – driving, crisp citrus fruit. Very intense, almost too much, though I think it will mellow in bottle. (JH)