2007 Meursault Les Vireuils

From cool, high-elevation, east-facing vineyards on the communal border with Auxey-Duresses (above Tesson and Rougeots) Roulot’s 2007 Meursault Vireuils evinces saline brightness from nose to tale. It is also decidedly spare in its mineral and citrus (lime, grapefruit) emphasis, yet there’s vibrant primary fruit acidity and a hint of creaminess of texture. Citrus zest, milled grain, stones and salt inform a lean but juicy, bright finish. While less charming for now than the Bourgogne, it should prove worth re-visiting over at least the next 3-4 years. 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