Region: Burgundy Grapes: Chardonnay First Glance: Orchid Fruits, Zesty, Complex, Long Acclaim: 93pts
The Wine: As always, the Meursault is based on Leroux’s own vines in Moulin Landin, Les Criots, Bois de Blagny and Les Millerands. There’s also some Clos du Village, one of the new parcels in Meursault that Leroux picked up following the 2017 harvest. Fruit from the white marls of Bois de Blagny brings incredible drive and salty/mineral backbone to the rest of the layered, fleshy Meursault fruit. Leroux tells us the Blagny fruit is sometimes almost too zesty and mineral on its own, but it brings so much to the blend, especially in warmer vintages. He also told us the previous owner was not aware that this parcel was entitled to apply for 1er Cru status, so it remains classified as village. Each of these sites is certified organic and managed with biodynamic methods. The oldest vines date back to 1944. Fermentation and maturation took place in a mix of 300-litre and 600-litre barrels before the wine was racked to foudre and stainless steel to finish aging. Finally, Leroux did not have enough grapes to craft his Meursault Narvaux, so that was also blended into this cuvée.
The Review: Charles Curtis MW, Decanter - 93pts "There is a forward, engaging ripe apple and spice nose on the initial attack of this village Meursault with notes of acacia flowers and butter that open up on the palate. The wine seems to lack the incisive acidity of some of the 21s, yet is supple and very pleasant. Due to frost damage, this contains all the fruit from Les Criots, Au Moulin Landin, Les Millerands, Bois de Blagny, and Forges – everything was blended together and only Vireuils separated out, making twenty barrels, and only one was new. A classic village-level Meursault."
