Bouchard Père & Fils Meursault Premier Cru "Les Gouttes d'Or" 2020
Bouchard Père & Fils
Description
Meursault is a village in Côte de Beaune, Côte d'Or, whose appellation covers 392 ha (381 planted in white and 11 in red). In addition to the village appellation, there are 19 climats classified as Premier Cru, at an average altitude of 260 meters. The best terroirs are based on marl and limestone soils that are ideal for Chardonnay. Such is the case of Premier Cru Les Gouttes d'Or, (5 ha, including half a hectare of 35-year-old vines for Bouchard Père & Fils on the Porusot border), which owes its name to the characteristic golden color of its wines as they evolve. It was the favorite parcel of Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States of America in the 18th century. 2020 is a very special year. From spring onwards, the weather was calm, Sec and sunny right up to the harvest. The general lack of precipitation led to berry concentration and even "grillure" in some plots. The Rares scattered showers across the vineyards ensured that ripening did not come to a standstill. It was therefore a vintage of very high quality, but also very heterogeneous. But on Meursault, and particularly the Premiers Crus, the wines are of exceptional brilliance! The harvest is manual, in small crates, and so is the sorting of the bunches. The wines spend 9 to 10 months in French oak barrels, 15% of which are new, followed by 3 to 4 months in stainless steel vats to make the cuvée homogeneous. This Meursault 1 er Cru Les Gouttes d'Or has a beautiful brilliant pale gold color. The nose is very expressive, blending fresh aromas of ripe white orchard fruit, citrus and acacia flower, with more gourmand aromas of candied fruit, honey and hints of brioche. The palate is smooth but precise, with fresh butter, candied citrus, marzipan, fresh hazelnuts and a hint of green apple. On the finish, all the minerality of this climate comes into play, offering balance and sapidity to the wine. A pike with beurre blanc seems to me to be the ideal companion for this Meursault 1 er Cru Les Gouttes d'Or 2020; but you can also dare a more earthy pairing like truffle risotto or more surprising and gourmet a superb Belle-Hélène pear.
