2009 Domaine Vincent Girardin Meursault Les Genevrières 1er Cru

The 2009 Meursault Genevrieres flows onto the palate with generous layers of mineral-infused fruit. It possesses gorgeous aromatic complexity and depth an intensely vibrant style, even for this vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Vincent Girardin is among the producers who have made the most dramatic changes in response to the issue of premature oxidation. Girardin has increased the amount of time his wines spend on their lees, has lowered new oak, has eliminated batonnage and has basically re-built his entire approach from the bottom up, which I have to say, is quite impressive. The 2009s were harvested beginning on September 15, with natural alcohols in the 12.5-13% range. The wines were bottled between mid-March and mid-May 2011. Today the 2009s are quite fresh and still showing some of the effects of their recent bottling. It is safe to say the wines Girardin is making today are quite different from those of the past. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Medium green-tinged yellow. Lemon, lime and a hint of minerality on the nose; a bit less pristine today than the Charmes. Then fatter and creamier in the mouth but less showy than the Charmes, displaying a strong spice quality and notes of lemon and lime but moderate complexity today. In a distinctly dry style but with plenty of density.