2012 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Frere et Soeur Chambolle-Musigny Feusselottes 1er Cru

The 2012 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuesselots was found to have offered particularly small grapes according to Jean-Nicolas. It has a lovely vivacious bouquet with scents of undergrowth infusing the dark berry, autumnal fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with well-integrated oak, great depth of fruit with a sensual finish that is long and tense. This is very engaging even at this early stage. Domaine Meo-Camuzet boasts one of the most enviable portfolios in Vosne-Romanee, crowned by Richebourg Grand Cru and Cros Parantoux, the latter essentially grand cru in all but name thanks to the late Henri Jayer, who decided that vines might profit more from the land than a few veg. I have been following the wines for over a decade and visiting Jean-Nicolas Meo’s cellar just down the road from Bernard Gros. Together we tasted through both his negociant and domaine bottlings, partly from pre-prepared samples and others directly from barrel. He told me he had been surprised at the changes in pH post-malo-lactic fermentation, possibly due to a precipitation of potassium that had made the wines feel rounder. Certainly some of the cuvees did have a certain “sumptuousness” about them, but for the most part that tannins were present and correct, lending backbone to offset the occasionally intense fruit. Readers should note that I took a video of Jean-Nicolas discussing the vintage in his cellars, so please access this for further insight. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524