2007 Meursault Genevrieres

Latour’s 2007 Meursault Genevrieres appears as an ideal marriage between the low-toned stoniness and nuttiness of the Poruzots and the salinity and primary juiciness of the Narvaux, which makes sense in terms of location, too. Toasted grain, salt spray, and chalk dust in the nose lead to a palate of both nutty richness and citric kick. This is at once creamy in texture and vivacious. Sweet hints of nutmeg and marzipan add to the allure of a long, luscious finish. I would anticipate close to a decade of pleasure from a wine that seems to help confirm a particular aptitude in this vintage for this site, of which Latour owns more than 15%. (It’s such a happy surprise when one of a grower’s top wines is also his or her most plentiful!) I’d plan on at least 6-8 years of fascination and pleasure from this. Jean-Pierre Latour is having none of the claim that 2007 and 2004 are similar. “2004 is about minerality, whereas 2007 is a lively vintage of fruit,” he insists, “but that didn’t become apparent until well along in the elevage. Because it was so cold over the winter,” he continues, “the wines precipitated a lot of tartaric acid, after which the malos came normally” (unlike in 2006 here) in early Spring. Latour reports healthy lees which he was happy to retain and stir to lend the wines textural richness. As a group, I found these more charming, refined, fun to drink, as well as nuanced than the 2006 collection, but white Burgundy lovers who in general preferred 2006 as a vintage should by all means check out Latour’s unusually broad, rich, and texturally pliable 2007s. Various importers, including Bayfield Importing, Long Island, NY (718)482 0200; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA, tel. (781) 352 1100; and Stacole Fine Wines, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 998 0029