2002 Meursault Les Gruyaches

(from very old vines in the portion of Meursault Charmes that is not classified as premier cru) Pure, ripe aromas of lemon and nuts. Dense, superripe and quite fat but with superb acid cut and firm minerality giving this very rich wine shape and verve. A hint of vanillin oak (this was aged in 30% new barrels) gives added sweetness. Finishes with superb palate-staining persistence. A distinctly powerful wine that's almost surmuri in the context of this cellar. Fichet told me that there's always the risk of picking these 80-year-old vines too late because the prelevement [the random sampling of grapes shortly before the harvest to measure ripeness and determine harvesting dates] always predicts lower grape sugars than he actually gets. In fact, this wine is 13. 5%, the highest in alcohol of his 2002s, but with bracing acidity of 5. 45 grams per liter and a low pH of 3. 18.