2012 Meursault Meix Chavaux

Aromatic limey nose. Chewy, crunchy and classically dry in the mouth, with good density and sap. Not yet especially showy or complex but the ripe, salty finish suggests more ahead.

Hailed. On base of slope so quite clayey. Quite smoky and appealing on the nose. Quite rich, layered and rewarding. Lots of juice. Racy but lime juice and layers of nuance too. (JR)

The 2012 Meursault Meix Chavaux has a much more expressive bouquet compared to the Bourgogne Blanc with lifted limestone and flint scents emerging with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with a pretty opening, furnished with hints of white peach and fresh lime, building nicely in the mouth towards a gentle spice-tinged finish. There is a pleasing fatness in the mouth here and impressive persistency. Due to the exceptionally late malolactic fermentation, I only tasted around half of Jean-Marc Roulot’s 2012s. It was the usual travails that discombobulated the vineyards in 2012: poor flowering, rain in the early half of the season and pressure of mildew. The hailstorm on June 30 affected Jean-Marc’s parcels in the north of Meursault village, the second in August more those in the south. I will return next year to make a full account of his 2012s, but here are the five that were in a representative condition to taste. Importer: Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524.