2022 Meursault Clos de la Barre

Smoky floral and essence of pear aromas are trimmed in discreet spice and citrus wisps. There is better mid-palate density to the vibrant and attractively textured medium-bodied flavors that possess slightly better depth and persistence on the firm, well-balanced and lightly austere finale. This seemingly always boxes above its weight and it has done so again in 2022.*Burghound Outstanding!*

Aromas of yellow orchard fruit, lemon oil, toasted almonds, white flowers and oatmeal introduce the 2022 Meursault Clos de la Barre, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and structured wine, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and good grip on the finish. As ever, it's built for the cellar. The first produced under the direction of Léa and Pierre Lafon, the 2022 vintage has turned out very well at this address, delivering both quality and reasonable quantity, a welcome change after the vicissitudes of 2021. For now, no big changes are afoot, and Dominque Lafon continues to be a guiding presence—organic and biodynamic farming in the vineyards, barrel fermentation for whites, two winters' élevage on the lees for both colors, and bottling under Diam technical corks (since 2013) continue to be the order of the day. What's new this year are two attractive cuvées of Puligny-Montrachet, the fruit of a sharecropping agreement.(WK)

The 2022 Meursault Clos-de-la-Barre has a backward nose that, despite coaxing, doesn't come out to "play." The palate is well-balanced with notes of tangerine and sour lemon, quite spicy towards the finish with satisfying length. The aromatics will require two or three years to step up a gear.(NM)