Domaine Pernot Belicard Meursault Vielles Vignes 2023 HALF Bottle (37.5cl)

Description

Meursault vineyards sit just to the north of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, in Burgundy’s sub-region of Cote de Beaune. Many rate these as the finest whites in the world given the crystalline purity and depth of flavour they can achieve.

TASTING NOTES: Philippe Pernot’s Meursault is a lovely white Burgundy with classic citrus, stone and tropical fruits and light honey flavours. Particularly in 2023, the wine is slightly softer-edged than his Puligny-Montrachet, so it feels plumper and a touch fuller on the palate. The very old vines used to make this Meursault (between 50 and 80 years old) confer impressive flavour concentration too. It is a different style to the Puligny but every bit as good, and a reminder of why Burgundy is still in-demand with lovers of great white wines, rightly so!

FOOD PAIRING, STORING AND SERVICE: Pair with cured meats such as ham, sheep’s cheese or a creamy dessert. It’s great for drinking now or will keep well till 2029 easily in half bottle.

ABOUT: Philippe Pernot married Madame Belicard, hence the name of the Pernot-Belicard domaine. The vineyards are hers, but he farms them and makes the wines, and will add his own vineyards to the mix on inheriting them from his father, another well-respected local farmer, Paul Pernot. Meursault has a reputation for being richer than the two other appellations above, with a slightly nutty flavour, but in reality it really does depend on the work in the vineyard and the winemaker, and the style they want to achieve. This Meursault is a ‘Vieilles’ Vignes’ ie a wine from old vines; in fact the grapes were grown on two different vineyard parcels, one named Les Pellans which was planted in 1988, and one, Les Pelles Dessus, which was planted all the way back in 1946!  The grapes were harvested by hand, pressed and then put straight into oak barrels for fermentation (20% of which were new oak barrels) and malo-lactic fermentation, followed by ageing. The wine was aged in total for 16 months before a light filtration and fining, and then bottling.