2006 Meursault Genevrieres

Jobard’s 2006 Meursault Genevrieres offers essences of lime, pear, and pineapple; bright refreshment yet deep, broth-like carnal and mineral concentration; and finishes with cut and a faintly prickly persistence, if less clarity and refreshment than the Poruzots. This too should be worth following for 5-7 years. Remi Jobard began harvesting September 25 – two days later than even Francois and Antoine Jobard – yet the two collections are dramatically different. These wines – which display uniformly prominent acidity – came out of barrel (generally 12-15% new) after a year, and were then given six months in tank (whence I tasted them) to permit stabilization and some evolution and, in Jobard’s words, “to preserve aromatic freshness and vivacity.” There are hints of botrytis here and there, but Jobard insists it was at a level of around 5%, in his opinion obviating any need to remove it. Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800.

Good pale, green-tinged color. Ripe, sweet aromas of lemon, lime and vanilla. A sweet, fat big boy with uncanny energy and typicity for such a rich, ripe Meursault. Finishes with very good minty lift and excellent length. Jobard hasn't used chemical fertilizers since '94 and he believes that this has slowed down his vines' maturing process and allowed him to harvest his Genevrieres at more reasonable alcohol levels. In the mid-'90s, he told me, this cuvee was routinely 14+%.

Perfectly well behaved, but still a trace of flabbiness. Good density, but not quite enough acidity. Quite chewy, though, for the moment. (JR)