2006 Meursault Genevrieres
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Tasting notes
Bouchard’s 2006 Meursault Genevrieres smells of coconut, litchi, candied lime, and brown spices. Combining doughy substantiality, polished richness of texture and luscious citricity, it finishes with formidable persistence of exotic, extroverted spice, citrus, and tropical fruits. I suspect it might evolve more rapidly than the corresponding Gouttes d’Or. In keeping with what he says are his usual intuitions, Philippe Prost picked early – bringing in Chardonnay ahead of Pinot Noir for the first time at Bouchard since 1989 – so as to retain freshness as well as what he termed “the sense of minerality in a vintage of very ripe fruit. But in 1989,” he hastens to add, “yields were perhaps overly generous, whereas in 2006 they are quite reasonable.” The results are consistently impressive. New barrels are generally “seasoned” here through use in wines of lesser appellation (other portions of which are frequently raised in tank), as Prost prefers to employ second year barrels for most of his crus. Injections of inert gas at bottling are among the techniques being used to protect the young wines here from oxidation. Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright straw-yellow. Pungent, high-pitched aromas of white peach, lime and violet. Suave on entry, then juicy and aromatic in the middle palate, with lovely floral lift to the flavors of white peach and lime. Intensely flavored but subtle and delicate, especially for the vintage. Today this dry, vibrant wine comes across as longer and firmer than the Charmes, and considerably less oaky.
A very deftly wooded nose, where it's clear that the oak treatment will be rapidly integrated, sets off pure, expressive and equally exotic fruit aromas that are even spicier while serving as a dramatic introduction for the detailed, focused and almost painfully intense flavors that possess a tangy and driving finish that does a slow build from the mid-palate on back. A classic Genevrières that should age beautifully.
More oily and spicy than the Gouttes d’Or. Plenty of hazelnut. Broad and rich but with a nice acidic backbone and length. Already multilayered. (JH)
About the producer
Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most established wine producers. Founded in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, it is the largest vineyard owner in the Côte d’Or with 130 hectares of vines.